The Legacy Trilogy Book 1: Saving a Legacy
by Wicked.Essence
Summary: This is not what I had in mind. I can't just...be Alpha of a pack. I'm just a wolf. How can I live by the Wolf Code if I haven't even heard of it?" More summary inside---
1. Prologue: Storms

**Full Summary- "This is not what I had in mind. I can't just...be Alpha of a pack. I'm just a wolf. How can I live by the Wolf Code if I haven't even heard of it?" Cats aren't the only ones who live by a Code. The Wolf Code has been alive in many wolf packs for countless generations, but it is slowly disintegrating by an unknown force called the Darkness. Mysterious followers of this force are 'scattering' the packs who live by the Code and the warrior way of life is in jeopardy of becoming nothing more than a legend. StarPack has called upon the help of a young loner by the name of Buck and his friends, Lily and Storm. Follow their pawsteps as Buck becomes Alpha of RainPack and how they struggle to relive a way of life that has been only a memory due to the evil paws of the Darkness and its followers, all the while under their constant threat. This is not your average Warriors fanfic. This is real. This is the Legacy. (Rated T for certain events.)**

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Prolouge- Storms

_It was a cold, dark night. Two wolves were seeking shelter. There was a snowstorm raging around them, battering their already weakened bodies with hard shards of ice._

_"Are...are we there yet?" One wolf asked. It was a dark gray she-wolf with blue eyes. She had a small pup in her jaws, and it was whining pitifully._

_"Not yet, Rainstripe, I can't tell with this weather." The second wolf shouted over the howling snowstorm. _

_"Our son is going to die if we don't find shelter soon!" Rainstripe growled from a mass of fur. _

_"He's got my blood in his veins. He can tough it out." The pitch-black male wolf reassured her, even though he wasn't so sure himself._

_Rainstripe shook her head, careful not to let the pup dangle too much. "I don't want him to get sick again! He won't survive the winter!"_

_"Stop being pessimistic, Rainstripe!" The large he-wolf barked angrily at her, his eyes like fire. "We have to have faith!"_

_Rainstripe kept silent. The sound of their paws sloshed against the snow as the storm lessened its grip just the slightest bit. _

_"See, there! I see something!" The male wolf cried and started to sprint towards something that was invisible to Rainstripe's eyes. She suddenly dropped the poor puppy and started to follow her mate. _

_"Shadowstar! I don't see anything! Stop-" Before she can say anything else, a loud gust of wind blew on both her and her puppy, causing her to fall over on her back and the puppy to be sent into a whirling mass of snow. She fought the wind as she struggled to get up, her weak limbs screaming with the effort._

_Anxiously, she looked around. ""My pup! Oh, my son! Where is he?!" She desperately searched for her lost wolf pup, but he was lost in the seemingly never-ending mass of snow and wind. _

_She let out a howl of grief and began to sob. _

_"My puppy…my pup…oh, what have I done?" She let out another wail. _

_"Rainstripe!" The call was so distant, but it was there. _

_"Shadowstar!" The she-wolf answered back, her voice full of sorrow. "Where are you?"_

_There was no answer. Rainstripe pushed her way through the storm, her eyes squeezed shut as ice and bits of dirt soared past her._

_"Shadowstar!" She screamed again. "My Shadowstar, where are you?"_

_Again no answer._

_She growled to herself. _No,_ she thought_, he's not dead. I can't let myself think that. Oh, where _is_ he?

_She began to sob again. "My puppy and now my mate! Oh cruel fate, why have you failed me now?" She wailed into the wind. _

_"Rainstripe, don't worry, I'm here!" It was Shadowstar. He coughed as he limped towards her. _

_Never in her long life had Rainstripe been so happy to see her mate. "Oh, I thought I had lost you!" She cried and ran towards him, pushing her gray-tinged muzzle into his fur. It went as suddenly as it came. The harsh scent of blood._

_"Rainstripe, I am badly hurt." Shadowstar wheezed. "A bear was waiting for me when I thought it was a safe haven. I left it running by only a," He let out a weak cough, "few…few tail-lengths, but he won't be gone for long. Where…where's our son?" _

_Rainstripe choked back a sob. "I…I lost him in the storm."_

_Shadowstar gritted his teeth and let out a howl of grief. _

_"Go and run away, Rainstripe!" Shadowstar growled when he was done, tears forming around his eyes. _

_"I'm not leaving you!" Rainstripe said firmly._

_"I said go!"_

_"No!"_

_Shadowstar suddenly barreled into her. "Run! I hear it coming! I don't want you to get hurt!"_

_Rainstripe looked up into his trusting, amber eyes and she shook her head. "If you're going to die, then take me with you." She growled._

_Shadowstar was about to say something to her when suddenly he was lifted off her. She gave a shriek and rolled over just in time before a massive paw almost crushed her fragile chest._

_She dared to look up and gasped at what she saw. It_ was_ a bear! Shadowstar was right!_

_The brown creature had her mate by the throat with a clawed paw, blood pouring down his black coat like a raging river into the virgin snow. _

_"No!" Rainstripe cried. Without any hesitation, she barreled into the bear's stomach, barely knocking it over. She only succeeded on causing it to drop Shadowstar and pick her up by her tail with the same bloody paw. _

_She furiously raked its nose with her sharp claws, feeling the bear's blood seep out satisfyingly on her fur. Or was it Shadowstar's?_

_The bear gave an agonized roar and snapped at her undefended, exposed belly. Rainstripe yelped when one of its teeth caught on a snag of skin, causing a painful cut. With the bear still gripping on her tail, she lunged for its throat, her sharp teeth aimed for the surefire bite. But instead, at the last moment, the bear furiously tossed her away like a bad piece of food. _

_She landed on her back and gave a painful groan. It was hard to breathe and her breaths were short and ragged. Her vision was a blur_. The fall must have been hard._ She thought. _Where's the cursed bear and Shadowstar? Oh Shadowstar!_ She turned her head sharply to their direction, but she only sent enormous amounts of pain to her head. They were gone! She gritted her teeth and looked up into the whirling snow. _

_"Why?" She chocked into the wind. She tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. "Why me?" _

_She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, which in all caused her to cough out blood. She gritted her teeth again and rolled over, giving a cry of pain. The bear must have hurt her really badly, so badly that she couldn't move at all._

"_All is lost!" She cried, watching as her words sent droplets of blood into the white snow, where already her blood was forming into a sickening puddle._

"_Everything…everything…" She lay her head on the soft snow and closed her eyes. "Come onto me, death, I am waiting!" She shouted and shivered, waiting, just as she said._

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_After a few minutes of agonizing suffering, the storm finally subsided. She has regained somewhat of her vision, but she felt really faint and lightheaded. _

_"Maybe death is taking its sweet old time." She mumbled angrily to herself. "It likes to bide its time, doesn't it? First with my pup, then my mate, now me." She gave a nervous laugh and coughed. No blood came out this time._

_"Strange," she told herself, "maybe death is not here for me yet." She struggled to get up, but she collapsed as exhaustion overtook her. _

_"I am too tired. But I still have some youth in me yet! What's wrong with me?" She growled. She then looked around and saw a faint figure just out of her reach. _

_"Who…?" She asked herself. "C'mon, Rainstripe! Make this last effort! You weren't born to this world to die!" She half dragged, half crawled towards the black figure….no, _body_. _

_"Shadowstar!" She cried and collapsed on top of him, sobbing. "No, no, no! You lost your last life, no!"_

_The black wolf was definitely dead. He was stone cold and his once shining eyes were glazed over by the cold paw of death. His chest had terrible long, fatal wounds and his throat was slit open. _

_Rainstripe licked his muzzle. "You didn't have to die!" She cried, trembling. "I could've saved you! But…but…" She broke into hysterical sobs. "StarPack, why?!"_

_"I loved you, I really did!" She wailed and continued her hysterical sobbing, no matter how much pain it was causing her. She just felt so guilty that she could not say her last goodbye to him and tell him how much he truly meant to her. _

_"Shh…" A whisper blew softly into her ear. It was familiar…_

_"Shadowstar?" She called into the wind. _

_"Yes, it is me."_

_Rainstripe's hopes rose but when she looked down at his body, it was still the lifeless corpse that she was on, not her mate._

_"Where are you?" She cried desperately. She felt terribly alone. "Where are you?" She cried again. _I must be dreaming!_ She thought angrily._ I _must _be truly dying!

_Suddenly, a mist formed in front of her eyes and a whirlwind of snow joined in making a transparent form of Shadowstar, as though he was made of mist himself. Yes…the same eyes, the same coat color…_

_Rainstripe gasped. "Is…is that you?" She stammered._

_The apparition nodded. "Rainstripe, I am a spirit now. I have gone on living in the stars."_

_"Huh? The stars?" Rainstripe asked. "St…StarPack?"_

_Shadowstar's spirit shook his head. "Don't speak. I have something to tell you. Our son is still alive."_

_Rainstripe gave another gasp of surprise. Her son? Alive? How…_

_"He is not far from my body. I died trying to protect him from the bear after it threw you. There are two wolves headed this way. Give him to them."_

_Rainstripe desperately looked around for her son and not before long, she caught sight of him…and the bear too!_

_"The bear!" She cried furiously, her hackles rose and her fur started to bristle. _

_"My death had not been in vain, Rainstripe," Shadowstar explained, "I had killed it but my wounds were too great that it wound up costing me my last life." _

_Rainstripe shakily stood up and groaned in pain. She gazed one last time at Shadowstar's handsome body before taking a few tentative steps forward. After much tripping, she finally made the short distance and collapsed…her head right at her son's small head! _

_"Oh!' She immediately sat up and wrapped her tail around him. He was freezing cold. She started to lick him and her warm tongue slowly revived him. Sleepily, he blinked his beautiful amber eyes at her, and she felt like bursting out crying again. Her pup was safe! _

_She looked up and searched for Shadowstar, but he was gone! "Shadowstar?" She called._

_No answer. _

He disappeared!_ She thought in frustration. She then looked at her precious puppy. He looks just like his father. She thought and licked the top of his head. He gave a whine, snuggled closer to her, and began to knead his paws against her bruised belly, wanting some milk. _

_Rainstripe gave a smile. "Now I know what to name you, my son," She said and looked off into the distance, where, as Shadowstar told her, two wolves were walking her way. She bent down and licked her son for the last time, tears falling down her dark gray fur. "I shall name you Storm."_

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**There's the prolouge! Please review or else I won't post anymore chapters! I need at least two! Thanks!**

**-Evanessence**


	2. Chapter 1: Behind the Bush

**Thanks for the review, Evershine! I normally would've waited for 2 reviews for the next chapter, but I couldn't wait. Here's the next one for you!**

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Chapter 1- Behind the Bush

"Are we there yet?" A small puppy asked, his fur battered by the buffeting wind of the surrounding meadow.

"No." Another wolf replied from beside him. He was a significantly larger wolf, with a broad muzzle and a light brown coat. He had a strong build and handsome hunter green eyes.

One last wolf was walking with them. It was a silver she-wolf with lilac-colored eyes and a white patch on her chest. "It's not that far, right Buck?" She asked the large male wolf.

"For the hundredth time, no." He growled, flicking his tail irritably.

The female wolf shrugged. "Just wait a little longer, Storm." She mumbled to the puppy.

Storm rolled his eyes. "Aw, c'mon! My paws feel like they're going to fall off!" He complained.

Lily, the she-wolf, sighed. "If you want to be as strong as Buck, I suggest you keep your chin up, okay?" She suggested.

Buck looked at her and she flashed him a sympathetic look that told him everything. Storm can be such a pain sometimes, but you have to love him.

"You've got to be tired, Buck. Right?" Storm asked him sleepily. He was a light gray and dark gray pup with usually playful amber eyes, but those eyes were full of tiredness now.

"Don't worry, little brother, we're almost there, I can feel it." Buck assured him, thought he was not quite sure himself. He was leading them to an old den from his pup days, even before Storm was born.

"I _told _you we'd get lost, Lily." It was as if the little wolf could sense the doubt in his voice.

Lily rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Shut up, Storm." She growled.

Storm's eyes flashed indignantly. "You're no boss of mine, missy!" He retorted.

Lily suddenly whirled on him and cuffed him hard, causing the little puppy to stumble and roll on the earth-worn ground, kicking up dust.

"I am also a year older than you, bigger than you and several times _stronger _than you!" She growled in his ear. Her head shot up into the air and she gave him a superior glare. She raised her tail high as she could and waved it tauntingly. She then continued to walk, leaving the puppy coughing in the dust.

After a few moments, Buck chuckled. "She's right, you know." He said to Storm, glancing at the silver she-wolf's retreating form.

Storm scowled at him as he got up and shook the dirt out of his fur. "Hey, what happened to 'protecting your brother'?" He growled.

"Hey, what can I say?" Buck shrugged, smiling. "You deserved it."

Storm scowled at him again and lashed his tail angrily. He jumped on him, but only managed to get on Buck's back.

"Hey, what are you doing?" His older brother asked him, a brow raised as Storm adjusted himself to get a better grip on his back, wincing as the pup used his claws a little too hard.

"Might as well get a ride, Buck." He then let out a pleading whine. "Please, pretty, pretty, please?"

Buck rolled his eyes. "If you insist..." He mumbled.

Storm nodded vigorously. "I do insist, I do!"

Buck sighed. He started to walk again, but he felt the puppy's weight strain his back and he gave a huff. "You don't exactly weigh two pounds anymore, you know." He groaned.

"I know." The pup replied with a smile.

Buck rolled his eyes again and started to walk again, his strong shoulders able to keep the puppy in place. "I told you to stop catching those squirrels!" He growled.

"How can you rest those sweet, juicy…" Storm licked his lips and flicked his tail sleepily. "Mmmm…." He suddenly fell asleep on his haunches, his snores filling Buck's sensitive ears.

Buck shook his head. _He fell asleep on my back…again._ He thought angrily and continued to walk, soon catching up to Lily, who was busy munching on a good-sized fox.

Lily looked up at him as he padded up to her, and she raised a brow in interest. "He fell asleep again?" She asked.

Buck nodded wearily. "Wow…" He breathed, looking at her meal. "Fox? How did you manage to get it?" He asked.

Lily looked at it as if it was trying to get away. She placed a paw on it and growled, "It was a feisty little thing, but it was right at my paws practically. Killed it with a quick bite and it didn't give much of a fight, the scrawny thing."

Buck knew she was only being modest and he smiled.

She looked at him and smiled too. "Want to share?" She asked her friend, pushing it slightly with her paw.

Buck looked over his shoulder to Storm and said, "Let's go find somewhere to sleep first. My back is practically breaking with this two ton lump of a wolf on my back."

Lily's eyes twinkled. She must have also guessed he was just being modest. She picked up the fox by its scruff and mumbled through fur, "Lead the way."

They walked for what seemed like hours, or at least, what Buck could tell, until the sun was already set. They arrived at a shady overhang near the edge of the extensive meadow they were walking in just minutes before. Forest surrounded them from all sides, giving the wolves a break from the harsh, unforgiving heat.

"Finally," Lily said, spitting out the fox near her paws. "Some shade. I don't think I've seen a tree in years!"

Buck nodded. Storm was still sleeping on his back and he looked around to look for some sort of nest he could put him to sleep without breaking his back anymore. _Ah, there we go,_ he thought as he walked towards a patch of bushes, moss and dead leaves, figuring it was a better place than nothing.

"Let me help you with him." Lily said from behind him.

"Oh, greatly appreciated." Buck murmured and bent down to let Lily grab a hold of Storm's scruff. Once she did, she dragged him off and put him on the nest, the pup not even stirring.

"I swear," Lily said, letting go of the pup's scruff. "If he keeps on sleeping like that, one day we might think he's dead!"

Buck smiled and looked at his young brother. He watched the little flank rise and fall and he licked it affectionately. "He slept a whole day once." He said to Lily.

"Oh, really?" She said, clear disbelief on her face. "What a heavy sleeper he is then. Oh, well, _I'm_ hungry. Want to take up my offer now?" She asked Buck, smiling.

"Gladly." The male wolf replied and padded off to the fox. He felt the she-wolf's pawsteps softly follow his and waited for her to dig in first before he started to eat himself.

"What's with the hesitation?" Lily asked him after a few seconds of watching him eat, her lilac-colored eyes concerned. "Is the fox not good or-"

Buck shook his head and gulped some meat. "Not at all. It's just…my father told me a long time ago that it's polite that when you're sharing fresh-kill with a she-wolf, you'd let her have the first bite."

Lily blinked with confusion. "Oh." She then smiled. "Then, thank you, O Chivalrous One."

Buck chuckled. "You're welcome, O Beautiful One." He regretted saying it the moment it slipped out from his mouth.

"What did you say?" Lily said, stopping mid-chew to stare at him.

"Um, nothing." Buck mumbled and hurriedly stuck his muzzle into the meat and guzzled as much food into his mouth as he could in order to keep him from saying more embarrassing things. _Idiot, moron…_he thought to himself angrily.

Lily, thankfully, stayed quiet. However, that look on her face seemed plastered on there for the next few minutes of silence as they finished their meal.

When she left, Buck thought he saw a quick blush appear on her face, but if it really _did_ appear, it was what he said…at least he _hoped_ it was.

When she left him, Buck quickly disposed of the fox's bones and hurried to his brother's side for a good night's sleep. He was so tired that he felt like he hadn't slept in ages!

By the time he made his makeshift nest, Lily appeared next to him, looking like she had forgotten about their sudden awkwardness a few minutes ago.

"Sorry, but I had to make dirt." She said quickly, averting his eyes.

Buck just shrugged.

She blinked. "Mind if I sleep next you? It looks like the weather's going to be cold tonight." She shivered for the effect.

Buck nodded, feeling the chill too. "Sure, anytime." _Again with the stupid comments!_ He grumbled, "I mean-"

"I know, just don't talk, okay?" Lily said, her head tipping to the side. "Let's just forget you ever said that."

Buck nodded. _She's such a good friend!_ He thought to himself happily. He watched as she settled next to him. He shivered as their pelts barely touched as she curled up next to him. He just figured it was just the cold settling in.

As he lay down his head on the soft leaves to close his eyes, he heard Lily barely whisper, "Am I really beautiful?"

Buck felt his fur go hot with embarrassment. _Clearly,_ he thought angrily, _she hasn't forgotten…moron!_ "Yeah," he replied hastily, "sure, Lily."

"You don't sound sincere." She growled sadly.

Buck was taken by surprise. "I'm…sincere, Lily." He said, "Why? Don't _you_ think you're beautiful?" He asked her softly.

He felt her give a tremble, as she replied, "Not really."

He smiled. "Well, now you have my word for it. You're beautiful…to me…I guess."

"Thanks," he heard her whisper in his ear, so softly he could barely hear, "you just made my day."

Buck blinked, but before he could reply, Lily had fallen asleep, her chest rising and falling in rhythm.

Soon, he fell into his own dark world of sleep.

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Buck woke to the sound of shuffling and he shook his head sleepily. He looked to his side and found that Lily was still sleeping, her eyes tightly shut.

He then stood, careful not to wake the she-wolf. He looked around towards Storm's nest and found that it was empty.

"Oh great…. he's gone already." He growled to himself and shuffled out of his nest. He gave his muscular body a shake and sniffed. "He just woke up, so I haven't missed him by much. That's good."

He padded out into the forest, following his brother's puppy scent. Even though he was barely a year old, he was larger than most wolves his age. He could technically be called an adult, but he considers himself a "half-aged wolf". Half adult, half puppy. Storm, on the other paw, was a lot younger than he was. He was only four moons old! Still, he had a knack for getting lost, much to his older brother's annoyance.

"Storm!" Buck called out, his dark green eyes flashing angrily. "Where is that pup?" He growled to himself when he only heard his loud voice echo through the trees.

"Buck, help me!" He heard a tiny voice cry not far from him.

Ears on high alert, Buck ran towards the voice, his superior hearing making it easy to track down his brother. He hid behind a tree as he searched for the small wolf. Sure enough, he found him.

The dark gray and light gray puppy was entangled in a bush of thorns, his amber eyes opened wide in fear. He was struggling to get out and he yelped in pain as the thorns pricked him.

"Don't move." Buck warned him, drawing closer.

"Buck!" Storm cried when he caught sight of him, writhing despite Buck's warnings. "Help me! I'm…ow! Stuck…ow!!" He whined pitifully.

"I said don't move! You'll get more of those thorns stuck in your fur!" Buck growled and lifted his paw to remove some of the bramble that ensnared the poor pup's fur. He winced as a thorn dug itself into his delicate paw pad.

Storm stopped moving at once; watching as Buck slowly detangled him out of the bush. When he was finally out, the wolf gave a yelp and tumbled over on his back, feeling the sharp points of the thorns embedded into his skin.

"There," Buck growled and opened his mouth to say something else, but he caught sight if his paw, which started to bleed profusely.

"You're hurt!" Storm cried and flipped himself on his four paws again with a yelp.

"Doesn't matter." Buck grunted and nudged the pup to move forward. "We need to get you back."

Storm obliged without another word, whimpering a bit as sharp-shooting pain ran through his body.

Buck followed the puppy back to Lily, who was now awake and grooming her back fur. He was leaving a small trail of blood in his wake, and he was fully aware of it. He secretly hoped it did not attract anything.

Once Lily caught sight of the bedraggled he-wolves, she stopped licking immediately. "What were you both _doing_?" She asked, inspecting both of them. Her brows suddenly furrowed as she inspected Buck's bloody paw. "A thorn…how?"

She narrowed her eyes before Buck could say anything. "Storm, did this by any chance, have to do with you?" She asked the pup, sharply turning her head to him.

Storm's face shadowed. He did not reply, but she could see it as clear as day. Guilt.

Lily frowned and sighed. "I thought you were going to stay out of trouble." She whined and released Buck's paw.

Buck blinked at them and began to lick his injured paw, wincing. "There's no use arguing about it now," He told them, "he needs to get those thorns off his pelt."

"He should get them off himself." Lily mumbled angrily.

Buck looked at her sternly for a second before growling, "Lily, he's only a pup. What do you want from him?"

Lily narrowed her eyes. "For him to grow up once in a while."

After a few moments, Buck sighed, "Just do it."

Lily just scowled at him. She dragged herself to Storm's side and began to pick out the numerous thorns off the puppy's pelt, the scowl remaining on her pretty muzzle.

Buck ignored her and inspected his paw. Immediately, his eyes caught sight of the painful thorn driven deep into his pad. _Hm, it's not_ too_ bad. _He thought, _I could probably take it out._ He gripped the thorn between his sharp front teeth and pulled, giving a whine as it tumbled out to the ground.

Immediately, blood spurted out of the wound and he lapped it, crinkling his nose at the metallic taste.

"You should get some cobwebs for that." He heard a voice whisper from the bushes behind him. He gave a sudden jump as he whirled around, facing the bush.

"Who are you?" He growled, feeling his heart beat faster than normal.

"Who are you talking to?" He heard Lily ask him from behind, sounding as if she had her teeth still gripped on a thorn. She spit it out and asked again. "Who's there?"

"That's what I'm asking." Buck growled, staring at the bush. It gave a small rustle and a low growl emitted from it. "C'mon out, I can hear you!" He growled again.

A dark gray head suddenly popped out from behind the bush.

Buck drew back in surprise, his claws digging into the earth as the wolf emerged completely. It was she-wolf, he could tell, with coarse dark-gray fur and dark green eyes. _She looks starved_, he thought sympathetically as he saw her ribs poking through her fur.

"Who are _you_?" Lily growled as she padded up nest to Buck, with Storm following curiously behind.

"Don't need to ask me twice!" The newcomer murmured. "My name is Fern."

Lily narrowed her eyes and was about to say something but Buck abruptly let out a warning growl.

"That's enough, Lily."

The she-wolf bared her teeth aggressively at him and lashed her tail.

Fern just stared at the wolves, her expression more confused than frightened.

Storm looked at the she-wolf. "They usually fight a lot." He said. "I got used to it. You'll get used to it too."

Fern looked at the pup, her head tilted to the side in confusion. "Huh?"

Buck ignored Lily and nudged Storm out. "Stay out of this, Storm, I'll handle it."

Lily unexpectedly barreled into him, causing them to tumble on the ground in a whirl of screeches, fur and claws.

Fern jumped back, her fur bristling and a terrified look coming to her eyes.

Storm just shrugged and told her, "I suggest you come back some other day before this gets _really_ ugly."

Fern blinked at him. She heard Buck and Lily's fight continue behind her back, yet the puppy seemed undeterred. How could this be so? She then explained, "Not really, you see, I really need to find a pack and-"

Storm's laugh cut her off.

"Why are you laughing?" Fern growled at the pup. He was younger than she was! Haven't these wolves taught him any respect? "This is serious!" She growled then looked behind her. "And someone really needs to stop them! They're bound to hurt themselves sooner or later!"

Storm turned his head to look at Lily and Buck, who at this point, seemed to have separated and were now glaring at each other, as if just a glare could defeat the other. He shrugged. "See? It's over. It usually doesn't last that long and none of them gets hurt. Even _I _join in sometimes! Anyways, we're not a pack."

Fern's muzzle dropped into a gape. "What?" She shook her head and regained eye contact with the small puppy. "Then…how come you all…travel together?"

Storm's face twisted in a smile. "Well, first of all, Buck, you know, the big brown he-wolf over there? He's my big brother. He's tons of fun!" He then frowned. "Lily, the silver-ish she-wolf, is just a big meanie. She yells at me all the time, but she just comes along with us…uh…just because she can, I guess. Sometimes I wish she didn't. I think she's Buck's friend, but_ I'm_ not her friend though. Ew!" He stuck out his tongue.

Fern shifted her gaze between Lily and Buck, who were now backing away from each other, their tails and heads raised challengingly.

"Are they...mates?" She asked softly to Storm.

"Are they _what_?"

Fern narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "Nevermind. You're too young anyways. By the way they're acting, they're not even _close _to even being friends."

"Ma…mates…what?" Storm cocked his head.

"Just forget about it." Fern grimaced.

By the time they were finished, Buck padded up to them, his fur severely ruffled from his scuffle with Lily. The she-wolf herself was on the other side of the little clearing, sitting by herself and trying to flatten her fur with brisk strokes of her tongue.

"I'm so sorry," Buck apologized, breathless. "She's…just a little moody today."

Fern shot a quick glance at Lily from over Buck's broad shoulder. "I can tell." She mumbled.

"She's usually not like that." He added quickly, forcing himself not to look back.

"She wants to come with us, Buck!" Storm chirped. "She wants to be part of our pack!"

Buck looked at Storm, then at Fern. He stared at her, his piercing gaze unmoving. "Pack?" He asked.

Fern nodded hesitantly, a little unnerved at his sudden interest. "You see…my pack…" She sniffed, as if holding back tears, "they…scattered…"

Buck blinked sympathetically at her. "Why?" He dared to ask.

Fern bowed her head and looked at her paws, tears falling on the ground. "It's a long story…" She said shakily. "But before I knew it, I was alone…"

Buck gritted his teeth, too overcome with emotion to speak. He knew what that felt like to suddenly be on your own, with no one to turn to…to_ truly_ feel alone…

Storm nudged Buck's hind leg, probably sensing the sudden sorrow in him. "What's wrong?" He asked his brother.

Buck gently pushed his brother away from him. "Go to Lily for a while. I'll be right there."

Storm, for once, calmly listened to him and made his way to the she-wolf.

Buck turned back Fern, whose blank stare showed that she was lost in her own memories.

"Fern?" He asked.

The she-wolf blinked, suddenly snapping back to reality. "I'm sorry, I…dazed out for a bit." She whispered.

Buck nodded understandingly. "You can come with us if you'd like. We're not_ exactly_ a pack, just a couple of loners struggling to survive. Either way, you'll be welcomed."

Fern smiled, her dark green eyes lit with hope. "Thank you." She whispered to him and gave him a friendly lick to his muzzle.

Buck smiled shyly and nodded to her. "And," He added to her before she left him, "just get to know Lily. She can be a bit tough at times, but once you get to know her really well, she'll be a great friend."

Fern gave him a curt nod and padded away from him.

Buck watched her go and then shifted his eyes to Lily, and found her staring back at him, a certain, unreadable look in her eyes. She frowned and quickly turned her head away. Buck gave a frustrated sigh. _Why does that she-wolf have to be so stubborn? _He thought angrily. _All I wanted to do was handle the situation, but she had to….argh….no use brooding about it now._ _After all, now I'm going to have my paws busy with Fern…_


	3. Chapter 2: The Strangest Dream

**Here's the second chapter…**

* * *

Chapter 2- The Strangest Dream

It has been two days since they had met Fern and they were traveling again, but this time they were walking along a riverbank, its roars echoing their sensitive ears. Buck was leading the small group, his nose sniffing cautiously as he led them.

"Do you remember this from your pup days?" Lily asked him as she padded alongside him. They had forgotten about their recent fight and agreed that they should put that behind them, with the she-wolf saying she was having a particularly bad day, and Buck saying he should've considered her feelings.

"A bit." He answered her, his right paw already growing sore from his thorn injury. His whole _body _was growing tired of walking along the pebbly riverbank for so long. It was near noon and the sun blazed down on them like unwanted rain.

On the other paw, Fern was clearly enjoying her newfound company, chatting casually with Storm behind them.

"She's a lifesaver." Lily whispered, looking behind her two the two wolves. "Storm likes being around her, I guess, taking him off our backs." She then glanced at Buck's back. "Literally."

Buck chuckled. "I'm getting a bit jealous of her, actually."

Lily raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I haven't been able to talk to Storm in a long while. He's always too busy talking with Fern!"

Lily shook her head. "Well, you've got to be a _bit_ glad, at least."

Buck shrugged. "I guess." Then he nodded. "Yeah, I _am_ glad he's finally found a real friend."

Lily nodded also. "He was really lonely with only us to keep him company. Getting him into all sorts of trouble, naturally. I guess Fern_ really_ relates to him."

"Who knows?" Buck told her. "Whatever it is, it sure works for them."

Lily nodded and scampered ahead a few steps. "Don't you like it here?" She asked him, taking deep breath.

Buck just let out a small growl as the mist from the river soaked his fur to the bone, causing him to shiver involuntarily. "Not really." He mumbled. "It's too damp for me."

Lily shrugged and without looking back at him, continued to walk. "I love it. I just feel so…free here by the river."

Buck quickly glanced at the mighty torrent of water beside him. _How could _anyone _love being next to a monster like that? _He thought bitterly. _It's very loud and not to mention _very _dangerous. _

He quickly shook his fur, sending water droplets into the air. "I do remember falling into it one time." He growled to Lily, glaring at the river as if it could rear up any second and swallow him up.

"You did?" Lily asked disbelievingly and drew back to be next to him again. "Really?"

"Yeah. I was almost Storm's age when it happened." Buck explained. "I don't remember what I was doing, but I remember falling and struggling in the river. I didn't know how to swim obviously, and when I was sure to be drowned, I remember that my father rescued me from the water." Buck shivered again at the memory.

"How _was _your father?" Lily asked unexpectedly, her head tilted to the side in wonder. "You never tell me much about him."

"Because honestly, I don't _remember _anything about him, not even his name. I…I just remembered what he did. That's about the only memory I can recall about him."

Lily nodded sadly. "You're lucky at least you knew him. I've never even _seen_ my parents." She growled and kicked a pebble with her paw.

Buck watched it roll around his paws and he nuzzled her sympathetically. "I hope they feel guilty." He growled.

Lily gave no response and just continued walking.

Buck sighed and bowed his head.

Without warning, Fern padded up next to him. "Is your paw feeling better?"

Buck flicked his ears at her in surprise. "Uh, yeah. It's better. Thanks to you."

Fern's eyes shone. "I didn't know if the cobwebs would really work, but in this case it did."

"Seems you're good with healing techniques." Lily commented from Buck's other side.

"Well, I was…uh," Fern suddenly stopped herself.

"You were what?" Lily asked.

Fern looked down at her paws, watching them as they moved back and forth with every step she took. "Nevermind. I just learned from my mother…back in my own pack." She said quietly.

The rest of the wolves stayed quiet, except for Storm, who had spotted a butterfly and started to chase eagerly after it, trying to keep himself busy.

"I'm sorry." Lily said, her voice full of sorrow.

Fern blinked at her. "Don't worry." She sighed. "I've got a new pack now."

Lily looked at Buck, a brow raised.

He shrugged. "She thinks we're a pack." He explained.

"Well, aren't you?" Fern asked.

"I wouldn't call us a _pack_." Lily said gently. "More like…a-"

"_Pack_." Fern finished quickly. "Obviously a group of wolves is called a pack, no?"

Buck gave a light cough and started, "Yes, but-"

"But _what_?" Fern growled and her eyes shadowed. "Don't tell me you're part of some rouge group."

"No!" Buck and Lily both answered quickly.

Fern was relieved. "That's good. I've had enough of them!"

"Huh?" Lily asked, her eyes suddenly blazing in alarm. "You've…seen them before?"

Fern nodded, looking a bit sad. "They always terrorized my pack. They weren't very much trouble, because my pack was fairly large, but they still were scary."

"What did they do?" Buck asked, clearly intrigued.

Fern's ears flattened against her head and her eyes blazed wildly, as if she was reliving some memory. "I remember one time they tried to steal pups when the rest of my pack was asleep."

Buck's muzzle opened in horror and glanced at Lily, who was equally in shock.

"They…they tried to steal _pups_?" She asked shakily.

"That's right," Fern growled. "Thank goodness my brother was awake to see them or else they would have gotten away with them. My brother, Rockfur, had howled to warn us and the rouge wolves were so surprised that they left without the pups!" She chuckled, gave a sigh and mumbled to herself, "I'll miss him."

Buck blinked. _Rockfur…what a strange name..._ He thought.

Lily walked around him to press herself against Fern comfortingly, to the dark gray she-wolf's great surprise. Fern just gave another sigh and continued, "It was worse what they did to my pack before they scattered. They had actually attacked us this time. My father, the Alpha of the pack, had ordered our pack to fight back, but at that time, most of the pack had taken off running. I didn't run. I stayed, but my father had told us, my brother and I, to run with the others. I wanted to stay and so did Rockfur, but before we could have said anything, my father was attacked." She then sniffed.

"I think it was the leader of the group…I'm not really sure. All I remember is that he had this awful, ugly scar on one of his eyes. Anyway, when my father was fighting, Rockfur had told me to go without him and that he was going to stay and help father out. I shook my head no, but then a wolf came up and attacked me. That's when I got scared. I heard Rockfur shout for me to run, but I couldn't move. The wolf had me pinned to the ground. I think he said something to me, but I don't remember what it was. I was sure I was going to die before Rockfur barreled into him. From the look he gave me he knew I only had one chance to escape and I did…" She bowed her head.

"Wow." Lily whispered, her eyes growing troubled. "Did you find out what happened to them?"

Fern blinked at her. "I couldn't. I was just too scared to go back. Coward." She growled at herself.

Buck shook his head. "You're not a coward." He growled.

Fern shrugged. "I'm hoping one day I could find them, but that's highly unlikely."

Before anyone could say anything else, piercing howl and a splash suddenly sounded from behind them.

Buck quickly turned around to see what happened. He gasped at what he saw. Storm had fallen in the river, the small butterfly he was chasing still fluttering lazily above the surface.

"Storm!" He cried and ran closer to the water. _Please come up, please come up!_ He thought desperately. The puppy's head still did not show above the water.

"He's over here!" He heard Lily call from a place father down the river.

Buck quickly ran over to her, adrenaline pulsing though his veins. When he got there, he quickly scanned to the rushing river for any sign of his brother. After a few heart-wrenching moments, he suddenly caught sight of his small head popping in and out from between the rapids.

As he bunched his muscles to jump, he heard Lily hiss in his ear,

"Are you insane?"

Buck did not reply and just jumped in, his strong paws immediately working against the overwhelming current. To his dismay, the current was too strong for him and he was dragged under. His breath suddenly caught in his lungs and his chest ached painfully. He desperately paddled towards the surface, needing some air, fast.

He finally broke the surface after what seemed like a lifetime and gulped some fresh, clean air. Without another second to waste, he looked around for his brother, who was now unconscious and drifting away at a fast rate.

Buck quickly swam to him, now used to the current pulling him. He grabbed the puppy's cold scruff and started to paddle towards the riverbank. Storm's extra weight dragged him down immensely and he started to feel his paws tire and ache uncomfortably with each stroke he made. He struggled to keep the puppy's head above water as he got closer and closer to the bank.

His teeth suddenly lost their grip on Storm's soggy fur and slipped out of Buck's grasp as if the pup was liquid himself.

"No!" Buck gasped, watching the pup drift away again. To his relief, Fern suddenly appeared and grabbed the pup in her jaws from the very edge of floating driftwood. She balanced precariously on it; her dark gray tail rose, her claws digging into the bark, trying to get a better grip as her weight shifted dangerously from side to side.

She then gave a mighty and daring leap from the driftwood onto the pebbly riverbank, landing in a heap.

Buck could not help but sigh as he clambered on the riverbank, his breaths coming out in ragged gasps and his whole body shivering from the intense cold. _At least Storm is safe…_he thought and coughed out the water he had accidentally swallowed. Suddenly, the world went black.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_Buck woke up. He slowly raised his head and blinked. He was in a clearing and it was dark as night. "What?" He started to say before a shimmering…thing clouded his vision._

_A vaguely recognizable shape materialized in front of him. He squinted to try to get a better look at it, but he still could not recall it. A cold breeze suddenly picked up from some-where in this place and he shivered as the shape finally formed into the form of a wolf. Wait…a wolf?_

"_Who…who are you?" He growled. The specter shook its head. _

_A few other spirit wolves appeared next to him, starlight glimmering in their fur. _

_Buck backed away into the murky blackness, baring his teeth. _

"_No need to be aggressive." The first wolf said. It was clearly male. Through the shimmering of the stars in his body, Buck could make out the tinge of black in his fur. Oddly, this reminded him of someone…_

"_This is a peaceful place." A female wolf answered. This one was dark gray with dark blue eyes as deep as night itself. _

"_What am I doing here? What is this?" Buck growled, trying not to let the fear leak out of his voice. _

"_You are dreaming, Buck." The male answered. _

"_Dreaming?" Buck exclaimed. "I have to wake up…this is just too real-"_

"_No." The she-wolf cut him off sharply. _

"_Buck-" The strange semi-transparent he-wolf started._

"_How do you know my name?" Buck snapped at him, his patience already running low. _

_The she-wolf flicked her tail. "We've known for a long time." _

"_We've? Who else is with you?" _

_The strange wolves quickly glanced at each other and the he-wolf said, "We are StarPack."_

"_Huh?" Buck gaped. That name is familiar…but why can't he put his paw on it? This was all too frustrating for him and he then asked again, "Who are you?" _

_The she-wolf stepped forward, her pawsteps forming faint traces of her paw prints on the strange, glittering ground. "I am Rainstripe." She introduced herself._

"_And my name is Shadowstar." The he-wolf said, his deep, guttural voice shaking Buck's bones until he had to shake his head to clear it up. _

_Buck shook his head. These wolves had strange names._

_Another wolf who hasn't spoken as of now, padded up to the others. He was a black and dark-brown wolf and was strong, muscular and large. He had a broad muzzle and shoulders that reminded Buck of himself and…this wolf had his same deep, entrancing dark green eyes…_

"_Griffinstar." The he-wolf grunted, his voice deep and masculine, like Shadowstar. _

"_He's not big on introductions." Rainstripe apologized._

_Shadowstar cut her a piercing glare and she backed off, clearly embarrassed. _

"_Uh…" Buck gaped. This couldn't be…this wolf just reminded him too much of…that day he fell into the river…could he be…_

"_You might recognize me, Buck." Griffinstar rumbled, his deep voice echoing through the clearing, "I am your father."_

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know."

"Will he be okay?"

"I hope so."

Buck's vision of the wolf that was supposedly his father vanished instantly as he heard soft murmuring voices above him. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting against the harsh glare of light that suddenly came upon him. He saw the blurry shapes of two wolves hovering above him, their expressions clearly worried.

"Buck!" He heard Lily cry and he felt something lick his ear. Probably her tongue.

"Shh. He's still not used to noise yet. Let him rest." It was Fern's deep, feminine voice now.

He struggled to get up, but he felt a paw gently push him down.

"No," Fern told him, "You need to rest until you have fully recovered."

"It's going to be okay, Buck," Lily whispered, her warm breath tickling his ear.

Suddenly, the he-wolf thought of his brother. "Where's Storm?" He asked. "Where is he? Is he safe?"

"He's fine." Fern said gently.

"I asked you a question!" Buck snapped, lashing his tail angrily.

Fern was clearly taken back, and so was Lily.

"Buck," Lily started, her tone firmer than usual, "This-"

"He's over there." Fern interjected quickly, pointing her dark gray muzzle to the huddled shape of Storm, his breaths rising and falling in a healthy rhythm.

Buck hurriedly got up on his shaky legs and left the she-wolves to go to his brother whom he had saved. He quickly looked him over, his eyes taking note of every detail on the little pup's body. _Yes…yes…._he thought. _Those strange wolves that I saw in my dream were real…_

He licked Storm's fur, and felt his tongue smooth over the part where the pup's fur faded from dark gray to light gray. _I must have seen your parents. _He thought. _You all look so much alike…_

Lily and Fern padded up to him, worried looks on their faces.

_And Griffinstar must have been my…_He couldn't even think the word.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked, genuine concern in her voice. "You're really worrying me."

Buck sighed and licked Storm's fur one more time._ I just have to forget about them…for now. _He thought. _Next time I sleep, I will look out for them. _

Lily was tensely waiting for an answer, as Buck could tell from her shallow breathing on his back.

"I'm fine." He answered shortly. He then remembered what Fern had done to save Storm and turned around to face the she-wolf.

"That was brave of you to risk your life like that to save Storm." He said to her.

Fern smiled, the worry immediately disappearing from her face like snow on a hot day. "Well…thanks…" She mewed, her dark fur clearly unable to hide her blush.

Lily cleared her throat and growled, "Buck risked his life too."

Buck gave her a stern glance, but Fern admitted,

"Oh, yes, of course. Without you, Storm would have been lost in the river."

Buck shrugged. "Is that what a pack does? Look out for each other?"

Fern smiled and Lily's muzzle formed into a gape.

"Right?" Buck asked again.

"Yeah, I guess!" Fern said happily, wagging her tail.

"So…we're a pack now?" Lily asked, a bewildered look in her lilac-colored eyes

Buck nodded. "I don't see why not!" He smiled.

Lily just stood there, the same look on her face. Fern was the one who cleared her throat this time.

"A pack could be a _good_ thing, Lily." She said to the she-wolf.

Lily looked at her, narrowing her eyes. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well…" Fern started and glanced at Buck. The he-wolf just shrugged. "Um…with a pack, you can live more efficiently…"

"Efficiently?" Lily asked. "Huh?"

"What she means is," Buck supposed, "that being in a pack is more a family bond than just a random group."

Lily blinked at him. "But…we're not a_ just_ random group. We're _like_ family."

Buck shook his head. "In a pack," He said thoughtfully, thinking of the strange StarPack he had dreamed of, "We _are_ family."


	4. Chapter 3: Home?

Chapter 3- Home?

Before anyone could say anything else, Storm stirred from near their paws. The small wolf gave a yawn and stretched luxuriously.

"Good morning, sunshine." Lily growled, glaring at the small wolf.

"Hey," The wolf yawned again. "What's going on?" He asked sleepily, looking at the three wolves.

"Oh," Lily started, "We were just wondering why you fell into the river and-"

Buck interrupted her with a light touch of his tail to her back. "He was chasing a butterfly, simple as that."

"Oh, yeah, I remember the butterfly." Storm said, suddenly looking very guilty. "I'm sorry…"

Buck nuzzled him. "That's okay, Storm."

Lily blinked in disbelief. "You know how much trouble we went through to get you out of there?" She snapped at the small pup, glancing at Fern, who just shrugged.

Storm started to tremble, and Buck wrapped his tail protectively around him.

"Lily, it was just an accident." The he-wolf said to her, a bit more firmly than he wanted to.

Lily rolled her eyes. "First the thorns, then the river. What's next, a bear?"

"I'll be more careful next time, Lily." Storm whimpered.

Lily just glared at him.

Fern bent down and licked the top of the little pup's head. "We're a pack now," She whispered to him, rapidly changing the subject.

"Really?" The pup's formerly dull amber eyes seemed to glow. "We're a pack?" He asked Buck, his ears pricked forward with interest.

"Sort of. Yes." Buck said uncertainly.

"Yeah!" Storm whooped.

"What's so great about that?" Lily growled. "It's just a pack."

"So? It's _our_ pack!" Storm beamed. "Just like old times!"

Lily's face quickly shadowed over.

Buck, sensing Lily's sudden change of mood, said light-heartedly, "Old times? Jeez, Storm. You're only a couple of moons old."

Storm just blinked at him and kept wagging his tail furiously.

Fern frowned, probably sensing Lily's dark mood too.

"I'm sorry." The silver she-wolf breathed. "I'm…just not used to being…close. Like a family."

Buck stared at her. "We were like a family the past two moons, you know. Right, Storm?" He quickly glanced at his brother.

The small wolf simply gave a nod, too overjoyed to say anything.

"That was…different." Lily growled, her lilac eyes dark and mysterious, much to Buck's dislike. "A pack is more…I don't know…organized?"

Buck shrugged. "We don't have to worry about that," he said, "I don't care about Alphas and Betas right now."

Fern's smile wavered a bit. "Huh?" She asked, her head tipped to the side in confusion.

"Fern, we only have four wolves, you know." Buck reminded her.

"Oh, but," The dark gray she-wolf pouted. "I thought you would make a good Alpha, Buck."

Buck shuffled his forepaws, clearly embarrassed. "Oh…not really…"

Lily smiled, the dark mood obviously lifted from her shoulders. "Don't be modest, Buck. We all know you'd make a great leader."

Storm nudged Buck's leg with his tail. "Aw, I wanted to be Alpha!" He whined.

Buck gave a small smile and nuzzled the wolf. He then looked up to see the she-wolves. "Not yet," He said. "Not until we find a real home."

Fern shrugged and Lily nodded in agreement.

"I'm willing to try this pack-thing." She said, "It might be worth it."

Storm beamed his great smile up at her. "Oh, you'll see, Lily. It'll be great!"

Lily looked at him and rolled her eyes. "I bet."

Buck and Fern both chuckled.

They then walked away of the riverbank, all of them glad to leave the side of dangerous river.

"I want to stay as far away from there as possible." Storm shuddered.

Buck nodded. "Unfortunately I had the same experience too, Storm." He then remembered his strange dream. Was that wolf _really _his father?

He knew Storm was not really related to him. His parents had told him sometime in his early life that the pup was given to them by a strange she-wolf. _Probably Rainstripe…_Buck thought. Could Shadowstar and she be Storm's real parents?

The foursome walked along the forest, their noses and ears pricked in alert. Buck wanted to ask Storm if he remembered anything at all about his real parents, but the he-wolf remembered that the pup still believed Buck was his real, biological brother, and not adopted. _I'll tell him when he's older._ Buck thought. _No sense ruining his day. Not that it's already quite an eventful one._

Suddenly, he stopped, causing Lily and the rest of the wolves to stumble into him.

"Hey, what was that for?" The she-wolf hissed angrily.

"Shhh…" Buck sniffed cautiously. A strong spurt of prey scent flooded into his nostrils.

Lily and Fern must have smelled it too. Their eyes glowed brightly and their tails started to wag furiously.

Storm started to knead his paws anxiously. "Are we going to hunt it?" He asked Buck.

Buck did not answer, instead scanning the numerous trees for the source. It was a lonely doe, nibbling on a leaf.

"On my count…" Buck growled, crouching low and bunching his muscles to run.

Without warning, Storm darted from Buck's paws, immediately alerting the doe. It quickly leaped away, the pup ambling awkwardly after it.

"No!" Lily cried from behind Buck.

"After it!" He howled and the three wolves dashed after it, their tongues lolling and paws thundering hard on the soft forest floor.

It was hard to keep sight of the doe as it flitted around, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. The wolves just could not match its sure-footed pace and tired easily from avoiding all of the obstacles on the way.

Buck leaped over a particularly large log, and soon the wolves followed after. He skirted around numerous trees, his eyes trained on the doe's white bobbing tail. Have to go faster! He thought furiously. His paws complained and his heart was racing at an abnormal pace.

The doe finally led them near a waterfall, where it disappeared into another part of forest just beyond their reach.

Buck let out a howl of frustration.

"It got away!" Lily whined and collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

"It was hard to run in the forest anyways." Fern admitted and sat down, her green eyes twinkling with tiredness.

Buck turned to Storm, who had been cowering on the ground. "Why didn't you listen to me?" He asked him angrily.

Storm shrank back, unable to come up with a witty response. He hated to see his brother like this.

"Answer me!" Buck growled, trying hard to keep his rage under control.

"I…I don't know…" Storm whined, averting Buck's blazing eyes.

Buck sighed and said shakily, "A pack has to work together, Storm. If you don't listen, everything goes wrong, understand?"

Storm nodded, speechless.

"It was his entire fault." Lily growled, glaring at Storm.

Storm did not reply, but instead just sat down and stared at his paws.

Fern sighed and padded up next to Lily. "I have to admit, it was a pretty good piece of prey-"

Buck cut her words with a low growl. "That's enough."

Fern did not look at him and sat down.

"Where are we anyways?" Lily asked, looking around.

Buck also looked around, taking in the scenery. They have come to a sort of clearing, with the sun shining down on them. It was good to get out of the trees. He just felt so enclosed and compacted in there. The waterfall thundered in his ears and the river flowed lazily in the direction that the wolves had just come from. The waterfall came from some sort of cliff with jutting rocks all around the base, with one particularly the highest.

The cliff looked like it had caves hollowed out in it. Lichen made them barely visible, but Buck could tell they were there. He padded closet to the river, which is not a river now, just a lazy flow of water. A stream. The real torrent was from the waterfall, with its mist rising from the water, soaking Buck's soft fur.

"I like it here." Lily said. If she were a cat, she would have been purring.

"Me too." Fern said happily, her tail curled in the air.

"Let's go check it out." Buck told them, now forgetting about his disappointment in Storm.

The pup himself was following silently for once, his wide eyes taking in the beautiful sight.

Buck edged closer to the moss-covered cliff face and put a paw on it. It felt cool, not too hot, and not too cold. He then padded near one of the lichen-covered caves and cautiously poked his head through and sniffed. _Hmm…_He thought. _Stale bear and fox….but there aren't any now. Good._

"See anything interesting?" He heard Lily ask him from outside of the cave.

He did not reply. He dared to slip his whole body inside and was amazed at what he saw. The cave was actually some sort of a den, with a moss-laden floor and rock walls. He padded in deeper, the sunlight from outside reflecting on the walls like water.

_It goes into the cliff pretty far,_ he thought as his muzzle touched the back wall of the den. It was comfortably warm inside and he shivered just out of disbelief. _Could this make a good home for us?_

He could still hear the waterfall, but now it was a soft, comforting rumble, like a perfect lullaby. He saw the lichen sway, and Lily's form appeared in the entrance of the den.

"Hey, I-whoa, look at this place!" She gawked, her head twisting in order to get a full view of the den.

Buck hurriedly padded up to her. His eyes were brightly shining, as he asked, "Isn't this a great place to stay?"

Lily laughed. "Almost _too_ perfect."

Buck also laughed.

"C'mon, Fern and I found something interesting." Lily told him abruptly and slipped out of the massive den. "Follow me."

Buck followed her closely as he left the den and padded along the mossy ground of the stream's edge. He looked at himself in the reflection and smiled. He sure had good looks for a wolf his age.

Lily led him to another cave, this time behind the waterfall. The monstrous water feature roared behind their backs as Lily whispered,

"Be careful, it's slippery here. I almost fell."

Buck nodded, not needed to be told twice. Fern quickly padded up to them, her tail wagging. _She looks very happy,_ Buck thought as the she-wolf led them inside the cave.

It was similar to the first den in how the floor was strangely covered in moss, but this time the rock walls have some sort of shelves lining their walls. In the middle of the den was a shallow drinking pool, the sunlight reflecting off its surface shimmering around top walls. This den was definitely smaller than the first Buck had seen, but it looked comfortable enough to fit more than seven wolves at a time.

"This is a great den, Fern." Buck said.

"It looks just like a Healer's Den, right?" Fern gushed, skirting along the walls and around the pool.

"A…Healer?" Lily asked.

Buck's thoughts echoed hers. What_ exactly_ was a Healer?

"Back in my pack," Fern started. The mention of her former pack did not seem to cause her pain anymore, by cheery tone of voice she was using. "There were wolves that healed the wounded, cared for the sick and such. They were the Healers of the pack!"

Something in Buck's mind started to click. _Ah, I remember that now._ He thought.

"My mother was a Healer. She taught me all sorts of things. I guess I wanted to become Healer after her, but, when we scattered, I lost her in the fight." Her tone of voice was more serious now.

"Hm." Lily said, sniffing around the shelf-lined wall. "I've never heard of that. I guess it's necessary to have a wolf like that in your pack."

"Actually, Healers are one of the most important members of the pack." Fern said.

Lily nodded. "I'm starting to _get_ this kind of life now."

Fern smiled. "I knew you would." She then frowned and looked around. "Where's Storm?" She asked.

Buck frowned also. Last time Storm had disappeared, the result was not very positive.

"Let's go and find him then." Fern said and padded out of the den.

Lily sighed and mumbled, "Again." She followed Fern.

Buck silently followed them, growling in his mind, _if Storm gets in any more trouble, I'm not sure how I'm going to forgive him this time._


	5. Chapter 4: A Surprise Indeed

**Whoa! Chapter 4 already? Wow. Please R&R and you all get Storm plushies!**

* * *

Chapter 4- A Surprise Indeed

The wolves walked away from the waterfall and into the clearing.

Buck looked around, but he could not see anything of his brother. "Storm!" He called out.

"Over here!" He heard the little wolf call him back.

He looked around and so did the others but with no success. The wolf just could not be seen.

"Where?" Lily asked, clearly irritated.

"Look up!"

Buck looked up and he heard Fern give a gasp.

Storm was standing on top of the cliff, his smiling face almost jeering as he said, "Scared you guys, huh?"

"How did you get up there?!" Lily cried, disbelief all over her pretty face.

"My secret!" Storm laughed and disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Fern asked feverishly.

"Storm, come back!" Buck called to the little pup, his deep voice echoing off the cliff face back to his ears.

Suddenly, the little head poked out again. "Aha, scared you guys again!" He jeered, wiggling his head mockingly.

"Storm, come down!" Buck growled to him, his brain wracking with worry.

Storm did not reply and just disappeared again.

"I going to kill that little-" Lily spat but Fern's shush interrupted her.

"Look over there!"

Storm was climbing down a series of jutting rocks down the cliff face that ran haphazardly in the right side of the waterfall. Buck's heart skipped a beat every time the pup leaped from one rock to the other. From down here, the leap seemed impossible for the little pup to do, but somehow the cub managed to amaze all of the wolves.

When Storm landed safely on solid ground, Buck dashed to him and covered him with licks.

"What do you think you were doing?" Buck growled between licks, "You almost made me have a heart-attack!"

Storm pushed him away. "You're not my mother, Buck!" He whined.

Buck frowned. "Still, you scared me. A lot."

Lily and Fern rushed to them, panting breathlessly.

"How…how did you find a way up there?" Lily asked breathlessly, glancing at the jutting rocks.

Storm shrugged. "I was just curious, that's all."

"You could have fallen!" Buck whined.

"Stop being such a worrywart, Buck." Storm mumbled.

"He's right." Fern said to the pup, narrowing her eyes. "Who knows what could've been up there?"

Storm sighed. "The deed is done, okay?"

Lily shook her head. "I think you should with us from now on. Always." She turned to Buck. "Right?"

Buck nodded. "If we lose sight of you again…I don't know what will happen…"

"But I know it won't be anything good." Lily growled quickly.

Storm blinked at her, his eyes growing narrow.

"Remember what I told you about a pack, Storm." Buck warned him.

Storm let out a sigh and shook his pelt. "I guess so." He mumbled.

Buck let out a swift nod. "Let's not go that way again until we've explored the entire area." He said.

The two she-wolves nodded. Storm reluctantly nodded too, but said,

"There wasn't anything _bad_ up there."

"I'd rather not risk it." Buck growled to him and padded up to the last cave yet to be explored. It was next to the big cave, with the lichen covering its entrance. It was slightly smaller and had a massive oak near its entrance, good for providing shade on hot days. The rest of wolves followed him and Lily padded up to the cave. She sniffed curiously inside.

She then suddenly drew back in a yelp, causing everyone to jump in surprise. Her muzzle now has a long gash and was bleeding profusely. She let out a whine.

Buck's hackles rose and he stared into the cave, his pelt bristling.

Lily was shaking with fear, the blood from her muzzle already spilling on the ground. "There's…there's something inside there…"

"Shush." Fern growled and turned to Storm. "Get me some cobwebs, now!" The wolf took off without hesitation, his tail in the air. The dark gray she-wolf started licking Lily's muzzle, cleaning the blood off her silver fur.

Buck continued to stare at the swaying lichen, his claws digging into the earth. He could just make out an angry pair of yellow eyes inside and the shine of sharply pointed teeth.

He could tell from the faint outline of the figure that it was a wolf.

"I am not going to hurt you," he said into the darkness.

He could tell from the waves of fear-scent that emitted out of the cave that there was more than one wolf in there. He could also tell by the sweet smell of milk that this wolf had puppies just recently.

The wolf just let out a low growl and Buck could hear that this was a female wolf. That explains the milk-scent.

Storm had come back with a paw full of glistening cobwebs. Fern quickly took them and applied them to Lily, who was wincing softly from the pain. Storm was breathing hard, like he had been running. "I…I saw some wolves, Buck…they…they are chasing me…"

Before Buck had any time to register this, a loud howl broke through the clearing and two wolves came running up to them. One was black and white and the other was smaller and completely black.

"Get out!" The bigger one snarled, definitely male.

"Now!" The smaller one growled after him, her blazing green eyes narrowed as her claws dug into the ground.

Buck backed away, his ears flattened against his head.

The male took a step forward, flexing his sharp claws and his teeth bore. "I said get out!"

The small she-wolf just growled, her whole body shaking.

"We're not going anywhere." Storm growled defiantly, his head and tail raised.

The small she-wolf looked at him curiously at first, and then she resumed growling threateningly. She was about a few moons older than Storm, and even bigger, considering she was a she-wolf.

"Oh really?" The big male roared and bunched his muscles to jump on Buck, but Lily quickly got in the way, her muzzle completely covered in cobwebs.

"Go, Lily, I could handle this!" Buck hissed to her.

Lily shook her head defensively. "If he fights you, we all have to fight. Like a pack, remember?"

That must have triggered something in the strange he-wolf, because he relaxed. "Pack?" He asked.

Buck stepped out from behind Lily and nodded. "Right, a pack." He said, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with the wolf. The he-wolf had startling ice blue eyes.

The wolf dipped his head. "I'm sorry." He apologized submissively.

The smaller she-wolf was clearly confused. "Dad, what are you doing?" She asked.

"He is obviously the Alpha of a pack, Holly." He replied.

_Alpha?_ Buck thought_…I'm no Alpha…_

Holly was speechless. She glanced at each of the wolves' faces before brushing past Lily and into the cave.

"My mate and pups are in there." The newcomer wolf explained. "I am also sorry if she was a bit frightened by your sudden appearance." He glanced at Lily's covered wound. "She tends to do that."

"I see." Lily mumbled nonchalantly.

"My name is Lark." The wolf introduced. "My daughter, the little she-wolf you saw go in there, is Holly."

Just then, a black she-wolf stumbled out of the cave, followed by Holly. The she-wolf had stunning yellow eyes and two gray front paws. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, as she looked around. "Who are these wolves, Lark?" She asked angrily, turning to her mate.

Lark ignored her and introduced her to the others, "Her name is Sparrow."

"I'm Buck, and-"

"I'm Lily." The she-wolf quickly cut in. "This is Fern," She pointed to the dark gray she-wolf with her muzzle, "and Storm." She waved her tail to the small puppy.

Sparrow clearly was still suspicious. "What are they doing here?" She asked Lark.

Lark sighed. "They are a pack, Sparrow."

The she-wolf looked at them, her eyes searching the four wolves as if they had something to hide. "A pack? Really? How come they only have four wolves?"

Storm let out a growl. "We're still a pack!" He retorted, "Doesn't matter how many wolves you have!" He glanced at Holly, hoping she had heard.

Holly glanced nonchalantly at him and swept her gaze somewhere else, obviously not interested.

Storm looked deflated and padded back next to Buck's paws.

"Who's your Alpha?" Sparrow asked abruptly.

The wolves were silent until Lark said, "Buck, obviously."

Buck blinked at the he-wolf.

"Well, are you?" Lark pressed.

Something inside Buck made him nod.

Sparrow shifted her gaze from Buck to Fern, who was fixing Lily's cobwebs that had been sliding off. "You must be the pack's Healer." She said.

Fern gulped and nodded uncertainly. "Yes…yes I am."

Sparrow sighed. "I suppose they're a pack."

Suddenly, a cry broke out from inside the cave, followed by others.

"It's the pups again." Sparrow growled and slipped inside the den. Holly followed, not looking back.

Buck watched the lichen sway as she-wolves' tails disappeared into the den and he turned his eyes back on Lark.

Lark shuffled his forepaws and said, "We are looking for a pack to join. We're loners and ever since the pups were born, it's been hard for us…"

Buck blinked in surprise. He examined Lark with his dark green eyes. He looked hungry, just like Fern had been when they found her.

"It looks like you need the wolves…" Lark insisted.

Buck cast a glance at Lily, who shrugged as if saying 'why not?'

"Sure, if you're willing to be loyal to us." Buck replied after was seemed to be an eternity of thought.

Lark smiled and his eyes shone with relief. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me and my family."

Buck smiled too. He then sighed. "I have to confess something to you, Lark."

Lark's head cocked uncertainly to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not an Alpha." He sighed, bowing his head and staring at his paws.

Lily came up and brushed her tail along his back comfortingly.

Lark blinked at him, clearly not surprised. "I knew it." He sighed.

"You…you did?" Buck gasped, lifting his head to look at the he-wolf.

Lark nodded. "Don't worry," He said, "you're too young anyways."

"Too young to be Alpha?" Buck growled, offended.

Lark suddenly wanted to take back those words. "I…I was just saying that-"

Lily started to growl protectively, narrowing her eyes.

Buck took in a deep breath and whispered into Lily's ear, "Show Storm and Fern to the big den, I'll handle this."

Lily looked surprised. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Buck nodded. Without another word, the three wolves went to the big cave, their tail low to the ground. Buck then gazed sternly at Lark and straightened his back. He noticed he was bigger than Lark by just a few inches.

"How old are you?" Lark asked him without warning.

Buck narrowed his eyes. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious." Lark mumbled.

"A little over a year old." Buck answered.

Lark gaped in awe. "R…really?" He stammered.

Buck raised a brow and nodded. "Why…is that a bad thing?"

"No, no, no…" Lark said. "It's just that…I'm two years old, and you're bigger than me!"

Buck smiled, taking a liking to that advantage.

"Wow…" Lark whispered enviously. "Maybe that's why I mistook you for an Alpha."

"We're still a pack, you know." Buck growled.

Lark nodded. "Yes, of course. Just not complete yet."

Buck shrugged. The older he-wolf was right. A pack needs its Alpha or else it is incomplete.

"Shall I hunt?" Lark asked him.

Buck was taken by surprise by his question. "Uh…sure…" He answered shakily.

Lark nodded and took off into the forest, his tail waving behind him.

Buck looked up and saw the sun on the sky starting to dip into the horizon. _It's that late already? This day has gone by so fast…_he thought.

He padded around the clearing, taking in the new sights and sounds. _My new home…finally, after many moons of traveling…my new home…_

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**So how was it? Anyways, I know you**_** all**_** love plushies, so I bet you**_** all**_** will review. At least that's what **_**I**_** do. I love plushies! XD**

**Evanessence**


	6. Chapter 5: An Unwelcome Visitor

**Evershine and Scarflower, here's your Storm plushies like I had promised! This is the chapter that gets really Warrior-like…you'll see, er…read.**

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Chapter 5- An Unwelcome Visitor

It had been a few days since they had settled into their new home and Buck was in the den where Sparrow and her pups were staying, which the wolves decided to call the Nursery. The three rambunctious pups were play fighting rather roughly and one of them tumbled onto Buck's paws.

"Oh, Owl!" Sparrow scolded the dark brown pup and picked him up by the scruff to place him next to his siblings.

"That's okay." Buck chuckled.

The she-wolf's suspicions of the strange wolves have seemed to have calmed down…for now.

Owl ambled towards the others, his small tail wagging furiously, reminding Buck of Storm.

Hazel, Owl's shy sister, padded up to her mother and dug her muzzle into her fur.

"Hungry already?" The she-wolf sighed and lay down on her side on the mossy floor. The pups gathered around her belly, yipping excitedly.

Buck smiled at the sight.

"Ow, Crow, not too hard!" Sparrow growled. Of course, she knew the little black pup could not understand her yet.

"I'll leave you now, Sparrow." Buck said and got up from the floor, shaking his pelt.

Sparrow nodded to him, her yellow eyes brimming with tiredness, as if she had not slept that night.

Buck left the den and stretched, his big muscles gleaming in the morning sun.

"Good morning!" A light voice greeted him from behind. It was Lily.

He smiled and nodded to her. "Good morning to you too, Lily!"

She gave him a friendly lick to his muzzle. "Lark is out again. Want to go hunting…just us two?" She invited, her eyes having an uncertain gleam to them.

Buck cocked his head to the side. Lily had never asked him to hunt with her. Ever. She had always insisted on hunting alone.

"Please?" She asked again, her tail drooping a bit.

"Didn't Fern need help gathering herbs?" Buck asked, glancing at Fern's den behind the waterfall.

Lily's smile wavered. "Don't worry; she's got Storm and Holly helping her out."

Suddenly, for some unknown reason, Buck felt uncomfortable. "O…okay." He stammered.

Lily curled her tail in delight. "Alright, let's go." She started to pad towards the forest, but she noticed Buck was not following her. She turned around and glared at him. "What's wrong?" She asked. He was staring off to space, his whole body shaking.

She walked to his side. "What's wrong?" She asked again, this time more worried than angry. She followed his line of sight and spotted a wolf near the edge of the forest, its pelt black and dark brown and dark green eyes.

"No…no…" Buck started to whisper.

Lily did not understand what was going on. Who was this wolf? Was he a threat? Why was Buck shaking like that?

The strange wolf seemed to glide over to them, suddenly appearing in front of Buck.

"Remember me?" The he-wolf asked, a sudden cold breeze picking up around them.

Buck could not believe it. It was Griffinstar, the wolf from his dreams! His _father_! "What…what are you doing here?" He asked shakily.

Griffinstar glanced at Lily, who had just realized he was not a normal wolf and was shaking terribly with fear. "I need to address the pack." He rumbled.

Buck blinked in confusion. "How about the rest of StarPack?" He asked.

Lily looked at him and mouthed the word 'StarPack' as a question.

Buck ignored her and kept his gaze on the shimmering wolf in front of him.

"Ah, I see you _do _remember." Griffinstar laughed, the ground seeming to shiver beneath their paws.

Buck took a deep breath. "You need to address the pack?" He asked.

Griffinstar nodded and looked at Lily. "Isn't that what I just asked?"

The she-wolf just trembled in silence, her lilac-colored eyes wide in fear.

Griffinstar padded up closer to her and briefly touched noses with her, causing her to give a small yelp and almost instantly, her trembling stopped.

"There's no need to be afraid of me." Griffinstar told her and she nodded meekly.

Buck quickly walked towards the HighRock, the tallest rock that jutted out of the ground where he could easily see all of the pack.

"Uh…everyone?" He called out.

"No, no, no…" Griffinstar growled and gave a massive leap, landing on top of the rock with perfect precision. Buck almost fell off in surprise, but he leaped down, letting the StarPack wolf take over.

"Everyone here in this pack gather underneath the HighRock for a pack meeting!" The large wolf thundered. The whole camp seemed to shudder as his voice echoed through the walls.

Buck saw Fern rush out of her den in a panic, followed closely by Storm and Holly.

"What…what's going on?" She cried, looking around. She dashed over to the clearing, Storm and Holly at her heels.

"Who is _that_?" Holly growled, pointing her muzzle towards Griffinstar.

"Whoa!" Storm breathed in awe of the magnificent wolf on the rock.

"Buck…what is this?" Fern asked.

"What is that racket?" Sparrow growled crossly as she led her pups out to the clearing, tripping and falling over each other. "My pups were trying to sleep for once!"

"This is not everyone." Griffinstar boomed, his eyes scanning the small crowd that had gathered.

"Who are you?" Holly asked again. She then asked with a slight tremble, "Are you some sort of ghost?"

Griffinstar laughed and again the ground seemed to shake. "No, young lady. I'm a StarPack wolf."

Fern gaped. "St…StarPack?" She whispered. "I…I thought you all were a legend."

"We're more real than you think." Griffinstar growled.

Buck could feel Lily's heart beat franticly as she pressed herself close to him in fear. "What's happening?" She asked him feverishly. "So you_ do_ know him?"

"He…is my father, Lily." Buck sighed and gazed on the massive wolf on top of the rock, trying not to look at her.

"Your…father?" Lily gasped. "Isn't…isn't he dead?"

"That's what scares me." Buck admitted.

"So he_ is_ a ghost." Lily whispered.

"In a way, yeah."

Lark finally arrived with a mouthful of fox. "What's going on?" He asked through a mass of fur.

"Come join the crowd, young wolf." Griffinstar growled, pointing to the group below the rock with his muzzle.

Lark dropped the prey in sheer shock. He expected to see Buck up there, not this strange, glittering wolf. He quickly ran over to Sparrow's side and wrapped his tail around her back protectively.

"There, now I can begin." Griffinstar said. He then took a deep breath. "I am Griffinstar of StarPack,"

Buck could hear Lily murmur softly, "What a weird name…" He quickly shushed her, much to her immediate annoyance.

Griffinstar continued as though he was the only one there, "…and I have been sent here to tell you that you are all under our guidance. You may think this is just ridiculous and you must be imagining things, but _this is real_. Packs for many generations have believed in StarPack and until then, we thrived on their faith and belief in us. But lately an unknown force has been acting on us and wolves have been starting to lose faith in us, eventually scattering."

"Now that you are starting a pack, I ask only this. Have faith in us and be strong, for StarPack will always be with you matching your stride pawstep by pawstep. We will be there when pups are born and when wolves are finally ready to join our ranks up in the night sky. We will be there when it seems that all hope is lost and we will be there when it seems like the pack cannot be beaten. Fern,"

The she-wolf jumped when she heard her name being called out by the wolf.

"I understand you want to be this pack's Healer, yes?"

Fern's throat suddenly went dry with nervousness. She nodded shakily.

"Come up here."

Fern slowly got up on unsteady legs and staggered next to Griffinstar. She saw his semi-transparent form and she gritted her teeth to keep from crying out in fear.

"You have to have the strongest faith." Griffinstar told her. "Healers have a special duty within the pack. No only do they heal and nurture, they have a special link to us. When we feel that danger is approaching, we warn the Healer in dreams and prophecies that they have to figure out themselves. Fern,"

The she-wolf jumped again at the sound of her name.

"Don't move; you will not feel a thing." Griffinstar suddenly jumped into the air. He seemed to stand still in mid-air and suddenly his massive body landed on Fern, dissolving into mist. The she-wolf did not move as told, but then she started to writhe convulsively as if the wolf was in her, trying to take over her body.

She started to moan and scream at the same time. Wolves gasped from the crowd below and started to murmur.

Buck's claws dug into the earth in anger. _What is Griffinstar doing to her?_

Before he could act, Fern stopped screaming and raised her head up to howl in a singsong voice and a mist escaped from her muzzle into the air. She then collapsed on the ground, clearly exhausted from her struggle.

Griffinstar materialized next to her and Fern shakily got up. They looked at each other as if something happened between them in those few moments and she leaped off the rock, softly landing on her four paws.

"You will now be known as Fernleaf. StarPack welcomes you as the Healer of this pack." Griffinstar rumbled.

"Fernleaf?" Buck exclaimed.

"What's with that?" Lily echoed after him.

A few other wolves asked the same question, but Griffinstar did not respond.

Fernleaf bowed her head to him and calmly walked over to Storm's side again, her eyes glazed with newfound knowledge. The small puppy tried to talk to her, but Fernleaf seemed to not have heard for she was ignoring him completely.

"Buck," Griffinstar called him.

Buck suddenly felt like running away. What was his father going to do to him?

"Buck," The wolf called again.

A silence blanketed the crowd as Buck made his way next to his father. When he finally stood side-by-side with Griffinstar, a few gasps escaped from the crowd.

"They look so much alike!"

"They have to be related!"

"Is Griffinstar Buck's brother?"

Griffinstar gazed at him with such intensity that made Buck cringe. "Do you want to be the Alpha of this pack?" He asked.

Buck almost felt his paws give way, but he nodded.

More softly, Griffinstar whispered, "I'm proud to call you my son."

Buck smiled, but when he opened his mouth to say something, Griffinstar disappeared before his eyes.

His vision then went black.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_He was again at that strange clearing where he first saw StarPack. He looked around and spotted Shadowstar padding up to him. _

_Buck dipped his head curtly at him. "Shadowstar," he greeted._

_Shadowstar smiled. "Buck." _

_Rainstripe appeared next to the pitch-black wolf, her deep blue eyes glittering like the stars._

"_What am I doing here?" Buck asked. "Where's Griffinstar?"_

_Shadowstar blinked at him. "You ask too many questions, Buck. Some may not have answers." _

_Buck tipped his head to the side in confusion. _

"_Griffinstar has fulfilled his duty and now it's our turn." Rainstripe said, her tail flicking impatiently. _

"_Yes. We're not here to chat." Shadowstar growled. "You said you wanted to become Alpha, correct?" _

_Buck nodded. _

"_That is a big responsibility." The he-wolf said, "Your duty is to lead the pack in its greatest time of need. You will also be like a role model to them. If you seem weak, they will think you are not strong, and they will fall apart. If they see that you are confident and leading them well, they will prosper." _

_Buck blinked, his mind racing as he tried to take in all of that information. _

"_You will also be responsible for every single pack member, from the youngest, to the oldest. You will treat them with compassion."_

_Buck nodded._

_Rainstripe then stepped forward and looked into his eyes. "We will now grant you the five lives of an Alpha. Once you lose these precious lives, you will be one of us. Each life represents important traits you must have in order to become Alpha." _

_Buck nodded again. He then crouched low as Rainstripe padded even closer to him, as if some unknown force was pulling him down. _

"_I will go first," the she-wolf said and put her muzzle on Buck's forehead. "With this life I give you compassion and patience for others in need."_

_Suddenly Buck felt a soothing feeling sweep over his body like a helpless pup that was comforted by its mother. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again to find Rainstripe moved away and Shadowstar took her place. _

_He placed his muzzle on his head and growled, "With this life I give you protection and strength for the ones you love." _

_Buck was not prepared for the intense pain that wracked through his body as the life coursed through him. He suddenly felt like giving every bit of his life for his packmates and scoring his claws at anyone who dared threaten them. He shuddered as the pain slowly subsided. He was panting and his claws were dug firmly into the ground. _Three more to go,_ He thought tiredly._

_A small black she-wolf padded up to him, and Buck was suddenly reminded of Holly, but this wolf had a white patch on her chest and amber eyes instead of green ones. She gently placed her muzzle on his head and whispered to him, "My name is Birdpaw and with this life I give you the gift of mentoring for those younger than you." _

_Buck gave a whimper as the life made its way through his body. He felt as if he was teaching a younger wolf and the intense pride when the wolf did something right. Buck thought he saw a flash of Holly's face as the pain ebbed away._

_The he-wolf looked up to see who would give him his fourth life. Birdpaw had stepped back to let a lithe light gray he-wolf with light blue eyes place his muzzle on Buck's head. _

"_I'm Skystorm and with this life I give you tireless energy and courage to serve your pack to the utmost." _

_Suddenly Buck felt like he could run forever through the forest, feeling his paws fly like a bird from the ground and he would howl his joy to the wind. The feeling went as fast as it came and Skystorm left him, his soft pawsteps barely echoing in Buck's mind. _

_A large golden wolf stepped forward, his magnificent presence seeming to draw all the light from the stars into himself. "My name is Lionstar." He grunted and bent his broad head and placed his muzzle on Buck's forehead. "With this last life I give you the gift of loyalty, wisdom and nobility to lead the pack in many moons to come."_

_Buck's vision suddenly brought him back at the pack clearing, but somehow he knew he was still with the StarPack wolves. He was standing on the HighRock and there was a large amount of wolves gathered around him, pups, she-wolves and he-wolves alike. They were howling to the moon, almost sounding like one. An overwhelming feeling of pride came over him and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he was back at the star-filled clearing with the wolves that gave him his five lives._

_His paws felt like deadweights as he struggled to get up, his limbs shaking and threatening to give way. Griffinstar appeared next to him, his starry eyes glittering with pride. _

_"You have now received the five lives of an Alpha," He said, "You must use these lives wisely for the good of your pack."_

_Buck smiled weakly. "I will." He dipped his head respectfully at his father. _

_Griffinstar nodded curtly and touched noses with him. "You will now be known as Buckstar."_

_"Buckstar?"_

_"Yes. This name separates you from all of the others in your pack. To have the name 'star' is like having part of StarPack within you."_

_Buckstar nodded. "I…I am honored…"_

_Griffinstar touched noses with him again._

_Buckstar's head suddenly felt like exploding and he gave a howl of pain, but Griffinstar kept his nose pressed against his. _

_"I am giving you the knowledge of what is known as the Wolf Code." He growled. "Pack wolves have lived by this code for countless generations and so will yours."_

_Buckstar gritted his teeth as the code poured into him as a life would. The Wolf Code was said to him as though different wolves from many generations were saying them at once. _

_"Defend your pack even with your life."_

"_Your loyalty is always with the pack, if not, you will be exiled."_

"_A warrior must feed his pack before themselves."_

"_Healers may not take a mate nor have pups."_

"_A warrior does not need to kill to win his battles unless they are outside the Wolf Code or using self-defense."_

"_Beta wolves will succeed the Alpha if the Alpha has lost all of his or her lives."_

"_If a Beta wolf dies or retires, the Alpha must appoint a new one before moonhigh."_

"_No warrior may neglect a wolf or pup in need."_

"_A pup must be six moons old in order to become an apprentice."_

"_The word of an Alpha is the Wolf Code."_

"_Prey is killed only to be eaten and give thanks to StarPack for its life."_

"_In order to become Beta, one must have mentored at least one apprentice."_

"_Pack members reject all other lives except pack life." _

_Buckstar breathed out slowly, his brain aching from this information going through his brain all at once. He felt the words engrave into his brain to last more than five lives. He opened his eyes and found his eyes lock into Rainstripe's dark blue ones._

"_A pack is an organized group of wolves, Buckstar." She said gently._

"_I know." Buckstar dared to say._

_Rainstripe smirked. "A pack also has its ranks. There is the Alpha, the Beta, or second-in-command, and the Healer. They are the most important and most influential parts of a solid pack, but what is a pack without its members? Pack members, or warriors, are divided into sub-ranks. Unlike now, they have double names that separate them from other, non-pack wolves around them. Names such as 'tail' 'frost' and 'pelt'. Pups older than six moons of age are called apprentices. Their names end with 'paw'. They are warriors-in-training. Warriors mentor these young wolves until they think they are ready become full warriors and receive their warrior names. There are also pups younger than six moons and their mothers. These pups' names end with 'pup'. She-wolves who want to stay in the nursery permanently are called pup-bringers and pups will stay with them until they are ready to be apprenticed. Warriors who are retired or unable to continue serving their pack due to injuries are called elders. They no longer serve in the pack as full warriors, but they stay with them until their life is over."_

_Buckstar blinked in confusion. There are only five adult wolves in his pack! How can he separate them into all those ranks?_

_Rainstripe must have sensed his confusion and chuckled. "I know this seems like a daunting task, Buckstar, but StarPack believes in you and we will try to provide the faith and strength you will need."_

_Buckstar nodded. _

"_And you must name your pack. For example, there was once a ThunderPack, RiverPack, WindPack-"_

"_RainPack." Buckstar said quickly._

_Rainstripe blinked at him, clearly surprised. "A…after me?" She stammered._

_Buckstar smiled. "Yeah."_

_Rainstripe smirked again. "Is this just a split-second idea? Because my name is _Rain_stripe and its convenient? You know a name reflects a pack's character a lot."_

_Buckstar shook his head. "No, because you are giving me strength and I am going to lead RainPack to be a strong pack."_

_Rainstripe nodded. "Very well, Buckstar. RainPack it is." She blushed, as much as a StarPack wolf could blush underneath all those glittering stars. _

_Buckstar smiled, despite himself. _

_Rainstripe rapidly cleared her throat and said, "Each wolf earning a rank must have a ceremony performed by the Alpha, except for the Alpha ceremony itself, which StarPack performs. I will give to you the words to the ceremony just as Griffinstar did with the Wolf Code."_

_She gently touched Buckstar's nose with hers. This time Buckstar's head was filled with less pain as the information engraved into his brain. After a few moments, Rainstripe separated herself from him, her eyes shining. _

"_This is all for now, Buckstar. RainPack is waiting." _

_Buckstar's vision went blank once again. _

* * *

**So Buckstar's an Alpha now, yay! ****(sorry, random sugar rush from eating too many cookies) ****Please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	7. Chapter 6: The New Pack

**Um…yeah, I**_** did**_** use Buckstar before he actually received the name. That's what happens when your brain is traveling at 500 mph and your hands only at 10 mph! XD **

**Anyways, here's Chapter 6…**

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Chapter 6- The New Pack

Buckstar opened his eyes to see he was still on the HighRock. He glanced below him and to his surprise; the pack's faces looked horrified.

"Are you okay?" He heard Lily ask from below.

He shakily stood up and shook his pelt. "Yes, I'm fine." He answered.

"You were moaning and howling just like Fern…er, sorry, Fernleaf." Lark said, his deep voice easily recognizable and sounding a bit worried.

"Really?" Buckstar exclaimed. "For how long?"

"Just a few seconds." Lily said shakily. "You really scared us."

"Yeah." Storm whined.

Buckstar straightened his back and spoke to the pack for the first time as Alpha,

"My name is now Buckstar."

The crowd started to talk all at once as soon as he finished saying "star".

"Buckstar?"

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's just like Fernleaf's new name!"

"What's with the double names?"

Buckstar silenced them with a sweep of his tail. "It will all be explained to you."

He then cleared his throat and began, "This pack is now known as RainPack. I have been granted the five lives of a full Alpha wolf and I must relay to you the information that StarPack has given me. All pack members have to follow the Wolf Code." He explained each code in the Wolf Code to the wolves, as if he had said this several times before. He also explained everything Rainstripe told him about the certain ranks in the pack.

When he was done, the wolves were deathly silent.

Buckstar was afraid they would leave and reject this life all together.

After a few tense moments as the pack analyzed this through, Holly spoke up.

"I'm six moons old today. Does that mean I'm an apprentice?"

Buckstar nodded.

"But_ I'm_ not! I'm only four moons old! It's not fair!" Storm whined. "I wanna have 'paw' in my name, not 'pup!'"

"Storm, I know you think you are the most capable wolf in this pack, but the Wolf Code clearly states that-"

"I hate the Wolf Code!" The small pup growled, his pelt bristling.

"Storm!" Lily hissed.

"I don't care! I want to be an apprentice, _now_!" He then whipped around and stormed into the newly named Pack Den, which was formally the massive den that Buckstar had first explored his first time here.

Buckstar's mouth suddenly went dry. He did _not _expect this to happen.

Before any wolf could say anything, Holly stood up. "I'll talk to him, Buckstar." She said.

Buckstar nodded to her, very relieved. "Thank you, Holly."

The she-wolf did not respond, but instead slipped inside the Pack Den.

Fernleaf was the next to speak. "So…I can't have a mate?" She asked.

Buckstar could tell in her expression that she was crestfallen. This was a hard thing to give up. The joy of having a mate and having pups. He nodded, his eyes sympathetic.

Lily went to her side and murmured comforting words into her ear, but the she-wolf pushed her away.

"I'm fine, Lily." She sniffed. "I am willing to give up that for my position in the pack. I love being a Healer more than anything else."

Buckstar smiled and said, "RainPack is thankful to have such a dedicated Healer as you, Fernleaf."

The dark gray she-wolf nodded and bowed her head.

Buckstar then turned to Lark, Sparrow and their pups. "What do you think?" He asked them, his heart full of hope.

Sparrow looked like she agreed with it. "It will keep my pups safe. That's all I'm interested in right now. I like it."

"You just have to know where your loyalty lies." Lark said. "And mine lies with RainPack."

Buckstar felt as if his heart was going to burst with pride. Maybe this will work out after all!

"You have to pick a Beta wolf before moonhigh?" Lily asked him.

Buckstar frowned. He almost forgot about that particular part of the Wolf Code. He looked at the sky and saw that was noon already. He nodded to Lily.

She smiled. "Well, I just hope you make the right choice."

Buckstar smiled too and thought, _She's definitely not ambitious, nor reckless. She could make a good Beta wolf…oh, I wish I had more time to think this through!_

Suddenly, Storm ran out of the Pack Den with Holly at his heels.

"I tried to tell him, I honestly did!" The she-wolf panted, out of breath.

"It's still not fair!" Storm growled.

Holly padded to her mother's side and bared her teeth at the pup. "Your stubbornness is not going to get you anywhere!" She hissed.

Storm was about to give a stinging remark before Buckstar cut him off with a howl.

"Enough!"

It_ was_ enough to make everyone go quiet.

"Are you pups, or apprentices?" He growled angrily. He then sighed. "Storm, I'm sure the Wolf Code can make an exception for you since our mother…left."

Storm brightened.

_At least I _hope_ they'll make an exception. _Buckstar thought. _I don't want to break the Code _this_ early._

Holly just mumbled a few inaudible words, but they earned her a hard cuff from her mother.

Buckstar thought for a moment before continuing, "We shall have the Beta wolf ceremony at moonhigh. I am going to announce my decision there. I am also going to give you all your new pack names in order to declare you all official RainPack wolves. Meeting dismissed."

He jumped off the High Rock, landing neatly on his four paws. The crowd dispersed back to their dens, mumbling softly to themselves.

Lily quickly padded up to him, and so did Lark.

"Alpha? You must be really proud of yourself, Buck!" Lily said with a smile.

"Buck_star_." He corrected her lightly.

Lily blushed. "Sorry. It's just…"

"It's okay. You'll get used to it." Buckstar smiled.

Lark chuckled. "Being an Alpha of a pack is a great honor, Buck_star_."

Buckstar nodded. "I know."

Lily nuzzled him. "Want to go hunting now?" She asked.

Buckstar was about to answer before Lark cut in, "I think Buckstar should set up borders before he does anything first. Rouge wolves might think this is still free territory."

Lily looked crestfallen.

Buckstar whimpered to her sympathetically and nodded reluctantly at Lark. "I suppose you're right, Lark. I'm sorry, Lily."

The she-wolf took a deep breath and shrugged. "I guess your duty has to come first, right?"

Buckstar quickly shook his head. "No, Lily, it's just-"

Nevertheless, before he could finish his sentence, she padded away, her head and tail drooping.

Lark watched his eyes as he gazed after her. "This is more important, Buckstar. Remember that." He told him.

Buckstar sighed. "More important than friends?" He asked.

Lark opened his mouth to say something, but he could not think of anything to say to reassure the Alpha.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. I have to think of RainPack before myself."

Lark smiled and nodded. "_That's_ how you think like an Alpha."

Buckstar did not feel better, despite Lark's attempts to assure him. "Get Holly and Storm to go with you, Lark. I think they deserve a break from Fernleaf for a while."

Lark cocked his head uncertainly. "Why aren't you coming?" He asked.

"I…I have to think about…you know, the Beta wolf ceremony. Moreover, all your new double names too…Oh, get Lily too, will you? She's one of the best trackers I've have ever seen." He then thought bitterly,_ and she wouldn't cloud my thoughts for a while…_

"We will set up the borders adequately, Buckstar. You can count on us."

Buckstar flicked his tail. "Try to get enough territory so we can hunt even through the hardest of winters."

Lark nodded.

"Pad fast so you can be back by moonhigh."

"We'll do it by then. Definitely."

Buckstar pressed his nose lightly on Lark's shoulder. "StarPack go with you, then."

The black and white he-wolf blinked at him and walked away to get the requested wolves. Lily padded out of the Pack Den, confusion in her eyes as Lark told her of her task. She shot a swift glance at Buckstar before nodding and following Lark into Fernleaf's den.

Holly and Storm seemed to be excited to leave the camp, as they decided to call their new home, and out of Fernleaf's den. The dark gray she-wolf followed them out of her den carrying four neat leaf-wrapped bundles of what seemed to Buckstar as herbs.

"These are traveling herbs," He heard her say as she dropped one in front of each wolf, "eat them and you won't be as hungry as you normally would be."

The wolves reluctantly obliged, cringing with distaste as they ate the bundles.

"What's _in_ this thing?" Holly moaned as she swallowed the herbs.

"You don't want to know." Fernleaf answered grimly.

Holly and Storm both let out a loud 'eww!' and backed away.

Fernleaf chuckled.

They left without another word, but Buckstar could swear that Holly let out a few suspicious glares at the Healer as she disappeared into the forest.

The new Alpha shook his pelt, his head swimming with all this new information that had been driven into his brain.

He decided that he would try to calm himself by eating. The way his stomach was growling could make him sound like he had not eaten in days. He walked to the fresh-kill pile, a measly pile of prey that had been collected during their few days here, thanks to Lark's successful hunting.

He chose the fox Lark caught earlier and started to dig in, the fresh meat sinking into his teeth like a rejuvenating life force. _Oh, I almost forgot to give thanks!_ He thought and gave a silent thanks to StarPack for his prey.

When he was half into his prey, he heard soft pawsteps some up in front of him. He looked up and saw Fernleaf, her green eyes glittering.

"Hello." She greeted him and sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws.

"Hi." He looked at her curiously.

"I know this is coming to you fast, Buckstar, but StarPack has promised me that it will all be clear sooner than you think."

"StarPack themselves?"

"Yes."

Buckstar thought for a moment. "It's…just…complicated. All these rules and ceremonies…I am just a wolf."

Fernleaf smiled. "But StarPack must have thought something was extraordinary about you, Buckstar, in order for them to grant you the rank of _Alpha_. They know you can do it…but even an Alpha needs help sometimes. That's what I'm here for."

Buckstar finished his meal and cleaned his face with his paws and tongue. "Really?" He asked in between licks.

Fernleaf nodded. "My father used to ask my mother for advice all the time." She then frowned a bit, as if remembering something.

"Are you okay?" Buckstar asked her, seeing her sudden change of face.

"No…um, I mean, I'm okay. Really." Fernleaf replied, though a bit shakily.

Buckstar nuzzled her. "Don't hesitate to ask _me_ for help, too, Fernleaf."

She smiled and sighed. "I have to get Sparrow her borage leaves. She's been running out of milk lately."

Buckstar nodded.

With that, Fernleaf got up and left him to go to her den.

He then felt very lonely. _We definitely need more wolves._ He thought. _Maybe tomorrow, I can go out in the territory and see if any rogue wolves are willing to join us._

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Buckstar was sitting on the HighRock when Storm crashed through the camp entrance, his fur severely ruffled.

The Alpha was immediately alarmed and jumped off the rock. "Storm! What's wrong?" He asked.

"W…wolves att…attacked us." He cried, each word coming out in ragged breaths.

"What?" Buckstar howled in rage.

"Lark, Lily and H-Holly are fighting them now!"

"How many?"

"I couldn't tell, but-"

"Just take me there!" Buckstar growled, claws digging into the ground in fury.

"No need!"

Lark's sharp growl made them both turn around in surprise. He, along with Lily, was dragging two raggedy-looking wolves by their scruffs like a pup, their fur caked with mud and dirt.

Buckstar quickly ran up to them. Holly came behind Lily, her pelt bristling as if she was still in a fight herself.

"Let them go." Buckstar growled.

"They're fast, Buckstar." Holly said quickly. "They-"

"I said let them go." He snarled, glaring at the she-wolf.

Holly just blinked at him and lashed her tail.

Lark and Lily let go of the wolves' scruffs. They scrambled upright and tensed to run, but Buckstar's threatening growl cut them off mid-step.

"If you dare to escape, you will regret ever laying a paw on a RainPack wolf."

The wolves cowered, their eyes flashing indignantly. One was a large, russet-red he-wolf that appeared to have a brown feather on his head and a scar on his right eye. The other was a smaller, lithe-looking she-wolf. She appeared to be brown by all of the mud on her pelt, but Buckstar could tell that underneath all that filth was a light ginger pelt.

Lark positioned himself beside the he-wolf, who growled in response. Lily did the same for the she-wolf, who just bared her teeth. Holly just ran towards Fernleaf's den.

"Who are you?" Buckstar growled, turning to the he-wolf.

He did not answer; instead, he narrowed his amber eyes, his crescent-shape scar making him look eerie and mysterious.

The she-wolf quickly stood, making Lily back off just a bit.

"There, now I have room to breathe." The dirty she-wolf hissed to her.

Buckstar shifted his gaze between the suspicious wolves. "I asked you a question." He rumbled.

"My name is Dawn." The she-wolf replied, her voice smooth and melodious. She then pointed her narrow muzzle at the large he-wolf. "This is Hawk. He doesn't talk much."

Buckstar quickly looked over Dawn. _Such a pretty she- wolf…and a pretty name…_he thought dreamily. He then shook his head, snapping himself back to reality.

"Are you mates?" He asked them.

Dawn turned her head to Hawk, who glared at her and stood up, shaking his pelt.

"No. Definitely not." Dawn said, lashing her tail.

Lily then started to ask, "Then how come-"

Dawn continued, as if she was not there, "I'm sorry if our…sudden appearance troubled you, uh…."

"Buckstar."

Dawn smiled. "Cute name."

Lily let out a scoff and rolled her eyes.

"Er…thanks?" Buckstar was not sure what the she-wolf was trying to do here, but something told him that Dawn might not be as threatening as he thought.

"Hawk, say something, will you?" Dawn hissed to the he-wolf.

Hawk shrugged. "What do you want me to say?" He growled, his voice deep and resounding. He sounded older than Buckstar and his scar made it look all the more obvious that this wolf had more experience than he had ever had in his short year of his life.

"Hawk, answer this then." Lark asked unexpectedly. "Are you siblings?"

Hawk narrowed his eyes and clearly thought of the answer. "Not…really." He finally replied.

Dawn looked at him as if he just said to roll over and die.

"He _is _my brother." Dawn corrected, a sigh escaping from her lips. "He's just a…bit confused from the fight, that's all."

"Uh…huh." Lark huffed, eyes narrowing.

_They don't look much alike._ Buckstar thought suspiciously.

"It wasn't much of a fight anyways." Hawk muttered.

Lily suddenly lashed her tail. "Oh really? It looks like you gave it your _all _out there." She said sarcastically.

Hawk shrugged again. "When the odds are against you, it's better to back off then to get yourself killed."

Buckstar blinked at him. That was the longest sentence Hawk had ever spoken since they had first arrived and…it actually made sense.

Fernleaf appeared at Buckstar's side, her eyes wide with worry. "I heard there was a fight, are you-oh." She stared at the new wolves, her jaws agape.

"We're fine." Lark growled, rolling his eyes. "It was just a skirmish, that's all."

Buckstar turned to Storm, who had been staring at Dawn the whole time as if she was a piece of prey. "You made it sound like it was the end of the world."

Storm jumped when Buckstar spoke to him. "Oh…I did?" He asked, cocking his small head. "Um…I'm sorry…" He then resumed gawking at Dawn.

The she-wolf caught the little wolf staring and growled, "Go stare and someone else your own size, pup."

Storm's expression changed from awed to annoyed. "I'm not a pup! I am going to be an apprentice!"

"Apprentice? Yeah, right. Give me a break, kid." Dawn laughed.

Storm spat and stormed off towards the Pack Den, his tail lashing angrily.

"Very mature," Dawn called after him, "like a true apprentice. Hah!"

"This is a pack?" Hawk asked rapidly, trying to change the subject.

Buckstar nodded.

"This….was your emergency?" Fernleaf growled, her eyes flashing irritably. "Ugh. Call me back when someone is dying." With a flip of her head, she trudged back to her den, muttering something about Holly.

"Small pack." Dawn commented. It was then when Buckstar noticed the black marks around her deep blue eyes that reminded him of a sly raccoon.

"It's…still in progress." He stammered.

"We could tell." Hawk growled. "They were setting up borders, right?" He asked, pointing to Lily and Lark.

"We were almost done, until _you _two got in the way." Lily growled, clearly irritated.

Dawn tsked-tsked. "You scent markers are not strong enough. We're just loners, trying to pass through. How could we have known that this territory belonged to a pack?"

Lark growled at that. "Our markers are just fine."

Dawn frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but Buckstar interjected quickly,

"No more fighting…please!"

The wolves fell quiet and stared at the Alpha.

Buckstar looked up and saw that the sun was setting down already and he has not thought of a Beta yet. He winced and looked at the wolves.

"Lily and Lark, you will watch over these two in the Pack Den as prisoners. We don't know if we can trust them yet."

Dawn looked shocked. "Prisoners? How-"

"You attacked us after all, _Dawn_." Lily sneered.

Dawn pouted and bared her teeth at Lily. "Well, you would you react, little missy, if you were suddenly ambushed by four wolves?"

Lily's mouth literally went to the floor. "Little…_missy_?"

Buckstar frowned. Only Storm was allowed to call her that and get away with barely an ear left. The look on his best friend's eyes could plainly tell that Dawn had but only misery in store for her.

"We didn't ambush you!" Lark hissed angrily. "It was _you _who ambushed us!"

Before things got even uglier, Buckstar quickly stepped in between the wolves. "Enough of the quarrels already! Lark, Lily, just take them to the Pack Den. Now."

"Don't you need wolves? We'll join your pack!" Dawn said to him before the wolves could take her away.

Buckstar did not flinch. "That can't be decided yet." He growled, looking at his paws.

Lily, on fast paws, pushed Dawn away into the Pack Den, who spat angrily and barked some words the wolves of StarPack would frown upon.

Hawk was guided into the den a bit less roughly by Lark as soon as Dawn's dirt-caked tail disappeared into the lichen.

Buckstar watched them disappear into the den and sighed. _We must reinforce the borders in order to have a real territory. Being Alpha is _definitely_ not an easy job._

* * *

**Chapter 7 coming really soon!**

**P.S: I'm updating this as often as I can because there are, like, 28 chapters already written in this book, so…yeah…**

**-Evanessence**


	8. Chapter 7: Names

**-bangs head on desk- grr…once again, Evershine, you are right…(Note to self: edit these things once in a while!)**

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Chapter 7- Names

Buckstar's brown fur seemed to turn silver as the moonlight illuminated the camp's clearing. The wolves of RainPack were gathered around the HighRock, even the two prisoners, Dawn and Hawk. Guarded by Lily and Lark of course.

He swept his gaze over the wolves before he began, the words coming from the knowledge Rainstripe had poured into his brain when he received his five lives.

"I am here today to present to you, StarPack, wolves that have acknowledged your Code and your pack ways and swear to take on the responsibility that the warrior wolves many generations before them have sworn and upheld. Lily, come here."

The she-wolf perked her ears and got up shakily, either out of nervousness or excitement. She made her way through the crowd until she was standing in front of Buckstar on the HighRock, her lilac-colored eyes shining with anticipation.

"Lily, do you swear to commit your life to RainPack and hold your faith and trust in StarPack and to uphold the Wolf Code even with the cost of your life?"

Lily bowed her head and whispered, "I do."

Buckstar smiled and said, loud enough for all to hear, "Then by my powers bestowed to me by StarPack, you will now be known as Lilyfrost. RainPack will honor you as a full warrior." He bent down to press his snout against Lilyfrost's forehead and the she-wolf licked his shoulder in return.

A chorus of "Lilyfrost, Lilyfrost!" erupted from the wolves below and the she-wolf blushed in embarrassment.

Buckstar watched her leap down from the rock and he called the next wolves, "Lark and Swallow."

The couple walked up to the HighRock, leaving their yelping pups and received their warrior names in the same fashion that Lilyfrost had just received before. Their new names were Larksong and Sparrowfeather.

He called up the pups one by one and gave them each a new pack name, Crowpup, Owlpup and Hazelpup.

Buckstar waited for the crowd's chanting to die down before he called on the next wolf. "Holly, come here."

The she-wolf's eyes shined in anticipation and she bounded up to Buckstar, her body quivering in excitement.

"Holly, StarPack has also bestowed upon me the powers of giving you a mentor who will teach you all of the components of being a true RainPack warrior."

Holly just nodded, bright green eyes wide.

"Holly, do you swear to commit your life to RainPack and hold your faith and trust in StarPack and to uphold the Wolf Code even with the cost of your life?"

Holly bowed her head and with certain defiance to it, she growled, "I do."

Buckstar continued, "From now on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. I will mentor you myself."

Hollypaw gave an unexpected yelp. "You?" She asked, clearly in disbelief.

Buckstar definitely did not expect this reaction.

She then dipped her head and stammered, "I…I am honored to be the Alpha's apprentice."

Buckstar smiled. That was more like it. He licked the top of her head and nudged her shoulder. "You can go now." He whispered into her ear.

Hollypaw blinked at him and jumped down, only to be replaced by an eager Storm.

"Oh, it's my turn isn't it?" He hinted, lashing his tail.

Buckstar rolled his eyes. "We have a ceremony here now, Storm."

The wolves below them chuckled.

Buckstar cleared his throat and began, "Storm, do you swear-"

Storm coughed loudly. "I know, I know, blah blah blah. I want to be an apprentice!"

Buckstar's gaze hardened. "This is serious, Storm."

His sharp tone must have gone through to the young wolf, for Storm bowed his head. "I do." He said quickly, his paws kneading the ground with impatience.

Buckstar sighed and said, "From now on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw."

Stormpaw's eyes shone with pride. "And my mentor?"

"Lilyfrost," Buckstar beckoned the she-wolf with his tail. The she-wolf was clearly astonished to climb up the HighRock for a second time.

"You have proven yourself to be a loyal and true wolf. Please pass on these qualities to Stormpaw."

Lilyfrost had a look of disgust as she bent down to touch noses with Stormpaw. The apprentice looked equally as disgusted.

"Why me?" Lilyfrost hissed at Buckstar.

Before Buckstar had a chance to reply, the crowd erupted in a cheer of "Stormpaw! Hollypaw!"

Lilyfrost just glared at him before leaping off the HighRock with Stormpaw following at her heels.

As the Alpha watched the crowd of wolves congratulate RainPack's first apprentices, he sighed heavily. The time has come to do the most vital part of the ceremony.

The crowd stared up at him expectantly as he closed his eyes, deep in thought.

Buckstar opened his eyes and looked towards the star-filled sky. "I say this in front of the spirits of StarPack so they can hear and approve of my choice."

There was a tense silence that blanketed the wolves as he said, "Larksong will be the new Beta of RainPack."

Larksong looked shocked. "M…me?" He asked.

Buckstar nodded. The wolves then erupted in cheers. "Larksong! Larksong!" The Alpha joined in the chant as Larksong padded up the HighRock.

The Alpha put his muzzle on Larksong's shoulder. "Do you promise to serve this pack as Beta faithfully and responsibly?"

He felt Larksong's throaty voice as he replied, "I do."

Buckstar lifted his muzzle and howled into the night, joined by Larksong and then the rest of the wolves chorused, filling the air with their voices.

"Long live RainPack!" Buckstar cried.

"Long live RainPack!" The crowd echoed, their voices almost sounding like one. Finally, Buckstar felt like this pack was complete. He also felt like he had started a legend. How many wolves before him had walked this path? His father, Shadowstar, Lionstar…

It was almost as if he was living a legacy.

"The meeting is dismissed!" The Alpha growled.

The crowd dispersed, talking excitedly with one another.

Buckstar looked up at the sky, his eyes full with pride. This is what he glimpsed when he was receiving his last life from Lionstar and he whispered into the air, "Are you proud, StarPack? Is this what you wanted?"

The stars above them twinkled, seeming as if the starry wolves heard him.

Buckstar smiled and leaped down the rock, landing softly on his four paws.

Most of the wolves have gone to sleep by the time Buckstar had arrived in the Pack Den. He looked around and saw Lilyfrost asleep, curled into a tight ball next to Dawn, who was sleeping in a ball too. Larksong had gone to the Nursery to sleep to Sparrowfeather and his pups, leaving Hawk unguarded.

The newcomer he-wolf did not look like was going to run away, though. He was sprawled on the ground, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and deep.

_He's asleep, good._ Buckstar thought. _Maybe RainPack could use a wolf like him. _

He made his way into the den, passing the drowsing forms of Stormpaw and Hollypaw. He made a nest by himself near the back wall of the den, his pelt brushing the moss-laden wall. He lay down and yawned, blinking sleepily. He then curled into a ball, his tail brushing against his wet nose.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_He was at the StarPack clearing again. _

_Lionstar was sitting alone, his golden pelt shining once again with his star-filled magnificence. "Buckstar," He growled, getting up._

_The RainPack Alpha swiftly made his way towards the StarPack wolf, but before he could reach him, a look of horror flashed in Lionstar's eyes._

_Buckstar immediately was worried. "What's wrong? What-"_

_Lionstar disappeared in a mist, much to Buckstar's frustration. _

_Buckstar whirled around, but before he could get a glimpse of what made the StarPack wolf disappear, he woke up._

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

He growled as he felt a paw prodding his side. "Ugh, let me sleep."

"Buckstar! It's already dawn!" It was Larksong.

The Alpha shook the sleep out of his head and he got up. "Sorry." He said gruffly. He was disappointed that he could not see what frightened Lionstar so much that he could have disappeared like that.

Larksong blinked and gave him a curt nod. "I think we should remark the border before any other wolf comes and tries to claim it."

Buckstar nodded. "Yes. We should have a patrol every dawn to do that."

"The dawn patrol?" Larksong asked with a tilt of his head.

Buckstar nodded again. "Exactly."

Larksong smiled. "Alright. I'll go and set it up."

"I'll come with you. I need a good walk to stretch my legs."

He followed Larksong out of the den, noticing that most of the wolves were awake and outside.

He caught a glimpse of Fernleaf by the small stream that ran in the camp with Dawn and Hawk.

"You should get washed up. You two look like you had a fight with the ground."

Dawn gladly stepped into the water and started to lick herself clean, but Hawk was a little more reluctant.

"C'mon, just get in the water. It won't kill you." Fernleaf said to him.

Hawk still looked doubtful, but he stepped into the water. His lip curled in disgust as the gentle water rose up to his lower legs.

"You're not a pup, Hawk. Wash yourself." Dawn growled between licks.

Hawk slowly began to wash, his tongue rasping over his back, the dirt running into the stream.

Buckstar chuckled and continued to follow Larksong.

The Beta wolf led him near the fresh-kill pile, where Hollypaw was eagerly eating a sparrow.

Buckstar figured that this was a better time than never to start her training. "I am going to explore the territory, Hollypaw." He told her.

She looked up at him and licked her lips. "I guess I'll go with you then, since I'm your apprentice."

Buckstar nodded. "That's right."

Larksong chuckled and nuzzled his daughter. "Be on your best behavior, Hollypaw."

Hollypaw rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Don't worry," Buckstar told him, with a wink to his apprentice, "I'll be particularly strict with her."

Hollypaw pretended to groan. She finished her meal and stood up.

"Where's Stormpaw?" Buckstar asked.

Hollypaw shrugged. "Who knows? Last time I saw him he was telling me about his 'secret place'"

Buckstar sighed and looked up at the cliff where Stormpaw had climbed the first day they were here, and sure enough, he spotted the apprentice's dark gray and light gray tail flicking back and forth.

"Don't worry, I'll get him." Larksong said.

Buckstar gave him a nod. "Thank you, Larksong. Don't forget to give him a stern talking-to."

"I will." Larksong assured him.

"I'll help." Lilyfrost padded up to them. "I've been looking for that little furball since I woke up. I wanted to start his training today."

"It looks like he'll need lots of that." Larksong chuckled.

Lilyfrost just glared at him and padded up to the stair-like rocks that led to the top of the cliff.

With a flick of his tail, Larksong followed her.

"I guess we'll go by ourselves, then." Buckstar told Hollypaw.

The apprentice shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I didn't want that annoying pup in my fur anyways."

Buckstar sighed inwardly and led her out of entrance of the camp and into the forest.

* * *

**I made sure Buckstar was called by his right name this time. And yes, I kinda stole the names Hollypaw and Stormpaw from Erin Hunter, but they were such good names that I had to use them in my fanfic. All of the Warriors characters belong to her, not me (though I wish!) Buckstar, Lilyfrost and the rest of the wolves in this fanfic **_**do **_**belong to me though. Give me credit if you use them anywhere else on this wide world we call the Internet. Please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	9. Chapter 8: It's Buckstar

**Chapter 8…not a very exciting chapter, but the next few chapters are worth waiting for!**

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Chapter 8- It's Buck_star_

Hollypaw led him through the various markers that the border patrol had made yesterday.

"Here is what we called the LoneRock." She said, pointing with her muzzle to a big boulder apparently in the middle of a clearing. There was a large sandy area around the rock surrounded by bushes and ferns.

"A perfect area to train." He mumbled to himself.

"What kind of training?" Hollypaw asked, her eyes shining in excitement.

"Battle training." Buckstar replied.

Hollypaw frowned. "We're going to have to fight?"

Buckstar nodded sadly. "It's part of pack life. You have to protect your pack even at the cost of your life."

Hollypaw did not respond but just led him further into the forest. She stopped at an immensely tall tree that seemed to have no end.

"We called this the SkyTree."

Buckstar looked up until his neck ached with the strain. "Good name, it looks like it could never end!"

"Someday I want to climb it all the way to the top!" Hollypaw said wistfully.

Buckstar shook his head. "Wolves aren't very good climbers, you know that…and it could be dangerous."

Hollypaw frowned, crestfallen. "You don't think I can do it?"

Buckstar blinked at her. "No, I'm just concerned for your safety."

Hollypaw just sighed and flicked her tail to continue following her.

Buckstar was already growing familiar to the forest, welcoming its warm earth and shady trees. He did not feel so enclosed and trapped anymore as he used to feel when he first got here a few days earlier.

Hollypaw skirted around the border, stopping occasionally to raise her tail and mark it. Buckstar copied her, instead lifting his leg for…obvious reasons.

"We have enough space in our territory to feed us for many moons to come!" Buckstar told Hollypaw as they reached the river.

Hollypaw nodded and led him around the edge of the river, the pebbles around her paws making a soft crunch every step she took.

Buckstar saw fallen tree a few tail-lengths ahead of him, stretching across the water to reach the other side.

"A bridge?" He asked Hollypaw as she hopped on the trunk.

"Yeah." She said and she took a few tentative steps across. "Be careful…Stormpaw almost fell when he tried to walk across it."

Buckstar nodded and watched Hollypaw pad across, her tail raised high for balance. When she reached the end, she jumped off, a look of relief on her face. "Now you try!" She called out to him.

Buckstar gulped and placed a paw on the rotting trunk. "Are you sure it's safe?"

From the far side of the bank Hollypaw nodded. "Just don't look down!"

Buckstar gulped again, trying to push his fears of the river behind him. _I am now a fearless Alpha. I must show my apprentice that I can do anything. _

He leaped on the trunk and dug his claws into the hard bark.

"That's it!" Hollypaw called out encouragingly.

He took a deep breath and took a few pawsteps forward, his eyes focused on Hollypaw's shape across the river. He tried not to think about what is under him as he put his paws one after the other. His tail was raised for balance just as Hollypaw had done before him.

"Almost there…" He mumbled to himself. He could already see the features of Hollypaw's face until they were standing muzzle to muzzle.

"There, you're across…after a million moons…" Hollypaw said nonchalantly and padded away from him.

Buckstar rolled his eyes and jumped off the tree. He followed her until they reached a place where the border's scent abruptly ended.

Hollypaw curled her lip in anger. "This is where those wolves attacked us."

Buckstar looked around. It was a small clearing and a wide oak tree blocked the sun, making it a shady overhang. As the he-wolf padded deeper, his eyes caught sight of a pool right in the center of the clearing, as if it was dug out by the paw of a StarPack wolf and in many moons filled with water that had come down as rain.

"Weird, isn't it?" Hollypaw asked, sniffing at the pool. "It's like this doesn't belong here."

Buckstar nodded. He then walked around her to investigate the trunk of the tree. He could tell by all of ridges carved into the bark that it looked like it had been there for ages. Buckstar could have bet a fox's tail that this was the very first tree in the forest.

"I think we should claim this." He said.

Hollypaw nodded and raised her tail to mark the tree.

Buckstar looked at the overall serenity of the clearing and smiled. Something here made him feel peaceful and calm.

"You really fought here?" He asked Hollypaw.

She nodded, a look of confusion coming to her face. "Why, do you doubt me?"

Buckstar shook his head vigorously. "Not at all. It's just…this looks like the sort of place you would come to…think things over and relax."

Hollypaw nodded and stretched. "All this relaxing is making me sleepy."

Buckstar touched her shoulder lightly with his tail. "You just woke up! We have to finish marking the border, remember?"

"Of course." Hollypaw said sleepily.

Buckstar took in a deep breath of fresh air and said, "I'll call this the DreamPool."

"DreamPool?" Hollypaw asked.

He nodded. This place looked like the clearing in his dreams when he talked to the StarPack wolves. Perhaps he should have named this the StarPool.

"That's a good name." Hollypaw yawned and shook herself. "Let's go before I fall asleep on my paws."

Buckstar nudged her softly. "Remember, Hollypaw. _I'm _the Alpha, here."

Hollypaw flushed. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"That's okay. Let's get out of here."

They continued to walk along the border, marking and filling it with as much of their scent as possible.

When they finished, Buckstar let out a sigh of relief. "Now RainPack has a territory."

"And a pretty good one too." Hollypaw chirped, the sleep lifting from her eyes. "Now no one can ever mistake this as free territory!"

"Let's head back and tell the others." Buckstar said and bounded towards the direction of the camp, his tail high.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

When the two wolves returned to camp, they were surprised to see Hawk carrying a limp form of a fox and putting it into the fresh-kill pile.

Buckstar gave a curt nod to Hollypaw and padded to the newcomer wolf. "What are you doing?" He asked him.

Hawk looked offended. "I was hunting, that's what." He growled.

"Who let you hunt?" Buckstar snarled.

"That black and white fellow over there. His name is Larksong, no?" Hawk said, pointing his muzzle towards the Beta wolf, which was deep in conversation with Sparrowfeather underneath the tree near the Nursery entrance.

Buckstar's eyes blazed for a moment. "Wait here." He growled and made his way towards Larksong.

The Beta wolf noticed him and smiled. "Excuse me, Sparrowfeather." He told his mate.

The pup-bringer rolled her eyes. "Figures. You have to take care of your Beta wolf duties." She then slipped inside the Nursery.

"What is Hawk doing hunting? I thought he was a prisoner." Buckstar growled quickly.

Larksong's ice blue eyes flashed. "What do you mean?"

"He was not supposed to be let out of camp." The Alpha said bitterly.

Larksong blinked. "The fresh-pile was running low, so I thought I could trust him to hunt."

"_What_?" Buckstar barked. "You trusted him?"

Larksong flattened his ears. "How are we supposed to know if any of them are trustworthy until you put their loyalty to the test?"

Buckstar gritted his teeth. The Beta wolf was right. "I suppose that's true. But you should still consult me before you do anything like that again."

Larksong bowed his head, clearly ashamed. "Yes…I will, Buckstar."

Hawk padded up to them warily.

Buckstar turned around so he could face the wolf. "Get your sister. I have to do your naming ceremony."

"My sister?" Hawk asked, clearly confused.

"Dawn, remember?" Larksong growled, suspicious.

"Oh, yeah. Okay." The dark ginger he-wolf grumbled and padded away towards the Pack Den.

"Where's Lilyfrost?" Buckstar asked Larksong when Hawk was out of earshot.

"She went into the forest with Stormpaw. I don't know how that wolf can get into so much trouble. We gave him a punishment, if you don't mind."

"A punishment? What kind of punishment?" Buckstar asked.

"Cleaning out the Nursery bedding for a moon. That should keep him away from that cliff for a while."

Buckstar shrugged. "That seems fair enough. I really wonder what my brother found up there."

"He's your brother?" Larksong asked.

Buckstar nodded. "More of an adopted brother actually." He then realized his mistake.

"Adopted?" Larksong's head cocked to the side. "Really?"

"Yeah, please don't tell him. He doesn't know." Buckstar begged.

"Oh course, Buckstar. I won't tell a soul." Larksong vowed.

Buckstar breathed a sigh of relief.

Hawk came back with Dawn in tow. Buckstar could tell her real coat color now that all of the dirt had been washed off. She was a beautiful light ginger she-wolf with a white underbelly and those black marks are there, just as Buckstar had seen before.

"Yes, Buckstar?" She asked, seeming to drift over to his side.

"Do you want to join RainPack?" He asked.

Dawn cocked her head to the side, a gesture Buckstar took as confusion. "Uh…" She began. "I…I don't know what to say."

"Yes?" Buckstar offered.

Dawn smiled that radiant smile of hers and shrugged. "Yes, then. I don't have anywhere else to go."

Hawk nodded. "I will join too. It has been moons since I've been in a pack."

Dawn quickly nuzzled Buckstar's shoulder, causing him to jump out of sheer surprise.

Hawk rolled his eyes.

"Oh, a bit jumpy, aren't you? It's just my way of saying thanks." Dawn whispered into his ear.

Buckstar smiled, letting her scent drift over to his nose. It smelled like wildflowers and just a hint of dew.

She separated from him.

Larksong shifted uncomfortably. "Buckstar, did you finish setting the borders?" He asked.

Buckstar turned his head to him. "Oh, yes. We have enough territory to feed us for moons."

Larksong smiled.

Dawn sighed and got up. "I guess I have to get ready if we're going to have a ceremony soon. C'mon, Hawk." She brushed herself against Buckstar's flank, another gesture that was unexpected.

"See you later?" She whispered into his ear.

Buckstar gulped and nodded. What else could he say? Of course they are going to see each other soon. For StarPack's sake, they live in the same_ pack_!

Hawk rolled his eyes again and padded away from them. Dawn followed her brother, flicking her tail over Buckstar's nose as she left.

Buckstar sneezed, blinking rapidly.

"Looks like she's going to be a handful." Larksong chuckled.

Buckstar blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

Larksong, for once, looked mischievous. "You'll see."

The Alpha frowned. "Larksong…" He growled.

"Believe me; you'll thank me for not telling you." Larksong laughed.

"Honestly, I don't know what you're talking about!" Buckstar snarled, but Larksong padded away towards the fresh-kill pile.

He mumbled some inaudible words to himself and thought, _I swear, Larksong is one of the most cryptic wolves I've ever seen…_

He looked up at the sky. It was already noon! _How could time fly by so fast? My patrol with Hollypaw must have taken a long time!_ He thought. _Then again, we _did _remark the whole boundary line…_

He caught sight of Stormpaw outside the Nursery, rolling a wad of bedding into the forest. Buckstar ran to catch up with him.

"Looks like you've got your paws full." He commented as he watched his brother nudge the ball into a bush.

"You really think so?" Stormpaw grumbled.

Buckstar's eyes furrowed. "That's not a way to talk to your Alpha." He warned.

Stormpaw sighed. "I'm sorry; it's just so hard living with all these rules!"

Buckstar nuzzled him affectionately. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. _I'm _not even used to it yet."

"It was just so easy being a loner…" The apprentice whispered.

Buckstar raised an eyebrow. "Now you're having second thoughts? Last time I checked you_ loved_ being in a pack."

Stormpaw shrugged. "That was then. This is now."

Buckstar shook his head. "This punishment will be over before you know it."

Stormpaw just glared at him.

The Alpha flicked his tail. "You_ did_ deserve it, you know."

His brother dug his claws into the earth. "All I did is just go to my secret place!" He snarled.

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. "Not just. It was after we have told you _not _to."

"We?"

The Alpha nodded.

Stormpaw furrowed his brows. "This stinks." He then brushed past Buckstar.

Before the wolf could disappear, Buckstar called out, "What _is_ up there anyways?"

Stormpaw looked back, his eyes dark. "Don't you_ dare_ go up there. It's my secret place."

Buckstar straightened his back. "Do you want two moons?" He growled.

Stormpaw sighed. "Just…leave it alone, okay?" Without another word, he bounded out of sight and into the camp.

Buckstar watched him go, his tail flicking irritably. _I don't like the way he's talking to me. _He thought angrily. _He doesn't understand that I'm Alpha and he's an apprentice. He doesn't understand that everything changed. It's not just 'Buck' anymore…it's Buck_star_._

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**R&R, por favor!**

**-Evanessence**


	10. Chapter 9: Reassurance

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12 reviews?! –spazzes out- You guys are freakin' awesome! (I'm the type of person that gets excited even if she get one review) Whooo-hooo!

**blueskiesahead- I am honored that my story is a considered a gem. It's all shiny and stuff! Thanks!**

**Evershine- a.k.a- my loyal reader and reviewer (don't worry, that's a good thing) Dawn is a rather…interesting character and in the next few chapters (and even this chapter) you'll see just how interesting she is. And oh yeah, she definitely **_**is**_** flirty by nature. Also, I think Larksong is a fine name for our Beta wolf (I've always thought of it as a rather masculine name!) Go figure! XP**

**Scarflower- Just add another 'awesome' in there and it'll be perfect. Just kidding! Thanks for the reviews!**

**In this chapter, we find out just a little bit more about our flirtatious friend Dawn…and maybe even a bit about Lilyfrost too…**

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Chapter 9- Reassurance

"Then by my powers bestowed to me by StarPack, you will now be known as Hawkflight. RainPack will honor you as a full warrior."

Buckstar bent down to touch the he-wolf's head with his nose and Hawkflight licked his shoulder in return.

A chorus of "Hawkflight, Hawkflight!" erupted from the crowd below as the wolf made his way down. His sister did not wait for her name to be called. She leaped on the HighRock, causing Buckstar to jump in surprise.

Her pelt was glossy and shiny in the setting sun's light and the light ginger coloring made it look as if it were ablaze. Her beautiful blue eyes were shining and her mouth curved into a confident smile.

Buckstar's heart must have skipped a beat when she asked, "Got a good name for me?"

"Yes…um…y-yeah." He stammered.

"Get on with it!" Lilyfrost groaned from below them.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Impatient, aren't we?"

Lilyfrost just mumbled some inaudible words.

"She's always like that, sorry." Buckstar apologized.

"No I'm not!" Lilyfrost snarled, her voice growing loud.

"Are you going to do the ceremony or not?" Sparrowfeather growled unexpectedly.

Buckstar nodded and cleared his throat. He then said, "Dawn, do you swear to commit your life to RainPack and hold your faith and trust in StarPack and to uphold the Wolf Code even with the cost of your life?"

Dawn bowed her head and murmured, "I do."

"Then by my powers bestowed to me by StarPack, you will now be known as Dawntail. RainPack will honor you as a full warrior."

He touched her head with his nose and the moment it made contact, an electric-like feeling ran up his spine and made his neck hairs tingle. _What was that?_ He thought. _It was-_

His train of thought was broken when Dawntail licked his shoulder, which sent a similar feeling across his whole body.

Buckstar had to blink in surprise. What was that weird feeling? As he watched Dawntail leap off the rock into a cheering crowd, he could not help but wonder what just happened a few moments ago.

Why is it that this she-wolf sends him feelings he had never experienced in his whole life? He called the meeting to a close and he jumped off the HighRock. The crowd of wolves was already heading off to their dens for a good night's sleep.

The weird feeling rose up again as he sniffed the aromatic scent of Dawntail as she padded up to him. He also caught sight of Lilyfrost, who immediately padded up to him too.

"Now I have a place to call home!" Dawntail said excitedly, her tail wagging back and forth.

Lilyfrost let out a snort. "You'll have to work hard, you know."

Dawntail pouted. "I know."

"We will _all_ have to work hard." Buckstar reminded them, "in order for RainPack to prosper, _everyone _has to do their part."

"You're such a great leader, Buckstar!" Dawntail cooed, drawing closer to him.

Maybe it was a bit too close for comfort, because Buckstar backed away slowly.

Lilyfrost looked disgusted. "Dawntail, I thought I heard Larksong calling for you."

Dawntail's ears perked forward. "I didn't hear anything."

Buckstar also flicked his ears. He was sure Larksong had gone off to the Nursery. Why was Lilyfrost lying?

"Oh, I'm sure he's looking for you." Lilyfrost said sweetly, smiling.

Dawntail's expression turned from excited to irritated. She padded away from them, muttering to herself.

"What did you do that for?" Buckstar growled. "You know that Larksong is in the Nursery."

"I know, I know." Lilyfrost sighed. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "I had to stop her."

"To stop her from what?" Buckstar sounded more curious than annoyed.

"She was obviously flirting with you." Lilyfrost growled, her voice as flat as a plain.

"Flirting?" The light brown he-wolf was confused. "All she said was-"

"How great a leader you were? She was going too far on that one."

Buckstar frowned. "It was a _compliment_."

Lilyfrost shook her head. "Did you see the way she was looking at you?"

Buckstar cocked his head to the side. "No. She was looking at me like any other regular wolf would look at me."

Lilyfrost rolled her eyes. "He-wolves are _so_ oblivious."

Buckstar flattened his ears, clearly offended.

Lilyfrost just looked at him, her lilac-colored eyes narrowed.

Buckstar's neck hairs started to bristle, but he kept his temper. "She just likes my leadership skill, that's all." He retorted.

Lilyfrost smirked. "I thinks she likes more than your…'leadership skill', Buckstar."

"What do you mean?" He growled.

The she-wolf's eyes traveled up and down his body, making him shift uncomfortably.

"Never mind." Lilyfrost sighed finally.

Buckstar was still confused. "Do you think she…likes me?" He asked. Can a wolf as beautiful as Dawntail like…_him_? _Me? Just a plain old wolf?_ Buckstar thought.

Lilyfrost's eyes widened.

Buckstar tried to read his friend's expression, but it was like trying to see though a fog. He could tell there was disbelief and…what else? _Is she upset_?

Before he could ask her anything, she asked softly, "Do you like…_her_?" She spat out the word as if it was poison.

Buckstar thought about this. Did he really_ like_ Dawntail? "I…I don't know." He replied shakily.

Lilyfrost looked a little relieved.

"Is something wrong?" Buckstar asked quickly.

It took her a moment to shake her head. "N…no, Buckstar."

He smiled and nuzzled her. When he touched her, she froze and her breathing quickened. "Are you _sure_ you're okay?" he asked.

Lilyfrost gave the smallest of nods.

"Remember, we're best friends. We can tell each other _anything_." He whispered in her ear.

Lilyfrost opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but she thought better of it and stayed quiet.

Buckstar breathed a sigh of relief. That had been the most awkward moment of his life. "So…how's Stormpaw?" He asked, trying to talk about something else.

"He's…difficult." She replied, her voice sounding as if she was also relieved to switch the topic.

"I'm starting to think it was too early after all."

Lilyfrost nodded and shrugged. "But I guess I will have to try and do my best to keep him under control."

Buckstar smiled. "I made the right choice in whom to mentor him."

She shrugged nonchalantly.

_She's _very _modest_. Buckstar thought.

"He's nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Buckstar nodded and looked towards the Pack Den. "I better get some sleep soon. I'm going to fall asleep on my paws!"

Lilyfrost nodded. "Yeah, me too. Larksong wants me on the dawn patrol tomorrow." Without another word, she left him and slithered into the den.

Buckstar followed her and walked into his nest just a few tail-lengths away from her curled-up form. He lied down on the mossy ground and put his head between his paws, blinking sleepily.

For some reason, he could not sleep. It did not matter how many times he shifted in his nest to get in a more comfortable position. Something just tugged on his brain like a stubborn thorn on his pelt.

He sensed something stir near him and he heard Lilyfrost mutter,

"Who's making more noise than a fox in a fit?"

Buckstar's face flushed in embarrassment. "It's…me." He replied quietly.

He heard Lilyfrost sit up and yawn. "Is it dawn yet?" She asked him.

Buckstar shifted his eyes in the darkness and he could make out her lean, sitting shape. "Not yet." He answered.

Lilyfrost gave a small grunt. "Then why all the fuss?"

"I can't sleep." Buckstar admitted.

He heard Lilyfrost's gentle sigh and the soft crunches of her pawsteps as she drew close to him.

Even in the darkness, Buckstar could feel Lilyfrost lying down next to him. Their pelts were barely touching, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"What's bothering you? Remember what you said to me earlier…" She whispered, mindful of the other sleeping wolves around her.

"I'm just…confused." He growled.

Lilyfrost brushed her tail across his back sympathetically. "It'll all work out, you'll see." She assured him.

"Fernleaf told me the same thing." Buckstar said.

"She did? I guess it's her job as a Healer after all."

Buckstar nodded. After a few moments of silence, he whispered,

"I can't help but miss the loner life, Lilyfrost. Do you?"

She took a moment to answer. "A little."

"Do you…like it here?" He dared to ask.

Lilyfrost bushed her tail against his flank. "It's all new to me, but I'm starting to get the hang of things."

"But…do you _like_ it?" Buckstar probed.

"Yes, as long as I'm not alone, I'm fine." She replied and with a little sorrow in her voice she added, "There's nothing worse than to be alone…"

It was Buckstar's turn to brush his tail on her back affectionately. "You won't be alone as long as I'm alive to be with you."

Lilyfrost pressed her muzzle against his broad shoulder. "I will count on that." She whispered into his ear.

"You've been alone for too long." Buckstar growled.

"Now that I'm here with you, my loneliness is gone. It is as if StarPack themselves had put you in this world to keep me company."

Buckstar smiled. Before he could say anything else, he felt Lilyfrost's gentle breaths tickle his ear. She had fallen asleep.

As he lowered his head, he thought he saw the glint of eyes in the darkness, but it was gone before he had time to register what it really was. _Just a trick of the light,_ he thought. He closed his eyes and let the dark wave of sleep crash onto him.

* * *

**Hmm…who could **_**that **_**possibly be? Anyways, please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	11. Chapter 10: The Training Session

**Ugh. Why do people have to put reviews like that? I'm sorry if this story not 'an original concept' or whatever, but give a girl a chance, alright? I know Warriors are not wolves and all that, but what**_** is**_** fanfiction anyways? **_**Stories that other people make up based on an original, published story. **_**This is based off the idea of Warriors and many of its components, but instead of using cats, I'm using wolves. It's just a difference of species, people. And it's not as if I'm going to publish this. If I was, Erin Hunter would have been suing me with her lawyers before I could say even 'mouse'. If you want to review, make sure the review is worth reading. If you don't like my story, keep it to yourself. It's called 'constructive criticism'. Not 'bring-down-the-author-so-she-doesn't-write-anymore-of-this-crap criticism'. I don't want to get flamed for what other people write. Just read it and post good, constructive reviews or not review at all. I bet many other fanfiction authors feel like this, so I'm not the only one. End of discussion.**

**On a happier note, thanks for reviewing, everyone. Don't worry, I **_**will**_** keep posting this story until the end. If I want I could take it down…I don't need other people telling me what to write or do. Please review! I'd rather have two good reviews than twenty crappy ones.**

**In this chapter, it gets a bit intense (if you know what I mean) But it's definitely not 'ohmigod this totally has to be M-rated! Eww!' type of material. At one time I seriously considered it, but c'mon. It's only a chapter. I've read many stories that have way more intensity than this and its rated K+. Read on, my friends, read on. **

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Chapter 10- The Training Session

He did not dream that night, much to his disappointment. He opened his eyes and shook his head to clear away the sleep that clung stubbornly in his head. Lilyfrost's nest beside him was empty. _Dawn patrol._ He thought and got up, stretching his muscles.

"Hello, Buckstar."

The voice made him jump. He turned around to see Dawntail, her muzzle turned upwards into a smile.

"Uh…good morning, Dawntail." Buckstar replied shakily. _Was it true what Lilyfrost said to me yesterday?_ He thought. _Is Dawntail _really_ flirting with me?_

"It's a nice day out." She sighed wistfully.

Buckstar did not take the hint. He was too busy wrestling with his emotions to notice.

Dawntail let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you want to hunt?" She asked.

Buckstar was caught by surprise. He did not respond and just stared at her.

Dawntail frowned, obviously not liking his silence. "Is there….something else you'd rather do?" She asked, trying to mask her disappointment.

Buckstar shook his head. "I was going to train Hollypaw today and-"

"Can you train her later?" Dawntail whined.

Buckstar's eyes shadowed. A heartbeat later, his face brightened with an idea. "Why don't you come with us?"

"Why?" Dawntail looked incredulous.

"Why…" Buckstar thought quickly. "Why? Because you will see what it's like to train an apprentice when you eventually get one."

Dawntail raised a brow, slightly interested.

"C'mon, it'll be fun!" What more can he say?

Dawntail finally smiled. She flicked his nose with the tip of her bushy tail. "You sure are persuasive!" She chuckled.

Buckstar smiled boyishly.

"Get your apprentice and meet me by the entrance." With a last look over her shoulder, she left the den.

Buckstar exhaled slowly. "Persuasive?" He asked himself. "I'm…_persuasive_?"

He looked around for the familiar black shape of his apprentice and found her near the lichen-covered entrance. He padded over to her and prodded her side with a paw.

She shifted and mumbled something about fish, but kept on sleeping.

"Hollypaw?" He whispered in her ear.

She still did not stir.

He then took a deep breath and growled loudly, "_Hollypaw!_"

"_WHAT?!_" She shrieked, jumping to her paws. Her bright green eyes were blazing and her black fur bristling.

Buckstar jumped back. "Hollypaw, you overslept!" He growled. "It's well into the morning!"

Hollypaw's fur lay flat again, though it looked like it took some effort. "Really?"

Buckstar nodded. "We're going to start your training today."

Hollypaw nodded enthusiastically, her former vigor regained. "What kind of training?"

"Some hunting techniques first," Buckstar replied, "and then we'll focus on the rest. We don't want to rush into things."

Hollypaw nodded again and kneaded her paws against the mossy ground.

"Why are we still here? Let's go!" Buckstar said and exited the den, Hollypaw at his heels.

As Buckstar and Hollypaw padded across the clearing, he heard Larksong call,

"Where are you going?"

Hollypaw whirled around to face the black-and-white warrior. "Dad!" She growled.

Larksong looked confused.

"We're just going to train. Watch over the camp, will you?" Buckstar asked the Beta wolf.

Larksong nodded. "It's my duty…right?"

Buckstar wanted to hit himself. "Of course."

"Let's go!" Hollypaw chirped, itching to get going to her very first training with the Alpha!

Buckstar nodded curtly to Larksong and he ran the rest of the way to the entrance. Dawntail was sitting patiently, her long tail wrapped around her small paws.

"There you are!" She trilled.

Hollypaw looked a bit crestfallen. She did not expect to have company with them.

Buckstar smiled. "Dawntail's coming with us, Hollypaw."

Hollypaw dared to snarl and snap at Dawntail's paws.

"Ah!" The she-wolf shrieked. She backed away, her claws extended; teeth bared and pelt bristling wildly in fear.

"I'll be on my best behavior." Hollypaw sneered, lashing her tail.

"_Hollypaw!_" Buckstar warned. "This will not be tolerated!"

"Sorry…" Hollypaw growled, not feeling very sorry at all.

Dawntail glared at her and drew closer to Buckstar, who put a tail over her back protectively.

_Why was Hollypaw snapping at her like that?_ Buckstar thought angrily. _She's acting like Stormpaw! Oh, StarPack forbid!_

"Let's go." He growled and led the way into the forest, feeling the tension spark in between the two she-wolves behind him. He led them to the LoneRock, where the RainPack designated training will occur.

"Show me your best hunting crouch to catch fox." Buckstar said to Hollypaw as they sat on the grassy part on the edge of the sand.

Hollypaw looked confused. She stepped into the sand and she crouched low on the ground, trying to shift her weight between her paws.

"You're not going to even catch a mouse like that." Dawntail commented flatly.

Hollypaw's bright green eyes flashed angrily.

"_Don't_." Buckstar growled warningly, sensing her upcoming retort.

Instead, she got up and glared at Dawntail. "If you know so much," She growled. "Then why don't you just show me?"

Dawntail's eyes glittered indignantly.

"Show some respect, Hollypaw!" Buckstar cuffed her and her head so hard that she dropped to the ground in submission. "She's a warrior, she knows very well how to-"

"Shh." Dawntail shushed him with a flick of her tail to his shoulder. "If the girl wants it, she'll get it." She sauntered over to the sandy area and crouched perfectly. Her front paws were placed in front of her in order to pounce if she needed to and her hind legs were close together, ready to spring. Her tail was close to the ground and her haunches were kept low.

Buckstar stared in awe. He could not help but admire the she-wolf's skill and he then juggled that long time thought in his mind. _Do I really like her?_

Dawntail stalked forward a few steps. She then spotted Buckstar looking at her and she smiled coyly. She waved her tail almost invitingly, making her look-

"Uh…excellent." Buckstar stammered.

Hollypaw just mumbled a few inaudible words.

"That's…h-how you do it." He turned his head to Hollypaw, but found it hard to pry his eyes away from Dawntail.

"It just comes naturally." Dawntail boasted and came out of the crouch. She then stretched luxuriously, obviously showing off her beautiful body to him. It worked, because now Buckstar ogled at her.

"Let me try." Hollypaw shoved past Buckstar and stood in front of Dawntail.

Buckstar vigorously tried to see over Hollypaw's shoulder. She was blocking his view of Dawntail.

"Suit yourself." Dawntail said flauntingly. "Didn't you want another demonstration?" She asked Hollypaw.

"Please!" Buckstar whined, earning him a surprised look from the she-wolf.

Dawntail then smiled flirtatiously, obviously pleased with herself.

Hollypaw looked back over her shoulder to her mentor with a raised brow.

"Later." Dawntail whispered in his ear as she brushed by him. "After this is all done."

Buckstar found it hard to concentrate the rest of the training with Dawntail breathing hotly on his neck, pretending to be interested in Hollypaw's struggling efforts, but she the only thing she was interested in was _him_.

"Is this it?" Hollypaw asked as again she tried to master the fox crouch.

"No, no, no." Buckstar growled. "Your haunches are too high and your tail is too high also. A fox could see you from many tail-lengths with it sticking up in the air like that."

"This is _way_ too hard!" She whined.

"You'll get it." Buckstar reassured her.

"It's already noon." Dawntail said, looking up at the sky.

Buckstar looked up also. They had been gone for a long time. "We're done for now. Tomorrow we'll work on it some more." He told them.

Hollypaw nodded tiredly.

"I'm sure you'll do better." Dawntail assured her sweetly. "I can help you practice more if you'd like."

Hollypaw glared at her. "I don't need your help, thanks." Her voice had a twinge of sarcasm.

"She's only trying to help you." Buckstar growled defensively.

"Like I said, I don't need any help!"

"Are you sure about that?" Dawntail asked and a brow rose in disbelief.

Hollypaw fumed. "Argh! Just leave me alone!" She then stormed off to the direction of the camp.

Buckstar watched her go with furrowed brows. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

Dawntail shrugged. "Who knows?"

"I'll have to talk to her." Buckstar said and raised a paw to leave, but was abruptly stopped by a light touch to his shoulder. He turned around to see Dawntail, very close to him, almost muzzle-to-muzzle.

She gave a chuckle and licked his nose.

He gulped uncertainly.

"She could wait." She whispered into his ear as she brushed her muzzle against his.

"But-" He stammered.

"Let's finish what we started, shall we?" Dawntail whispered seductively, starting to lick his neck.

Buckstar's pulse quickened. "Dawntail…" He groaned.

Dawntail's smile waned a bit. "Say my name again."

"Dawnta-"

"Just Dawn." Her head cocked thoughtfully. "It sounds…better."

Buckstar whined. "Why did you stop, Dawn?"

Dawntail smiled. "There we go." She then nuzzled him.

"I…I…" He started.

"Shh, don't speak." She slithered around him, flicking him on the nose with her tail.

Buckstar shuddered. He was taking a strange form of pleasure from all of Dawntail's coy gestures.

"You're a very handsome boy, Buckstar." Dawntail growled playfully.

This was all maddening to him. Emotions clouded his brain and he felt like another wolf was controlling his body, not him…

She pushed her muzzle into his broad chest fur, drinking in his scent.

"I think I…" Buckstar stammered, his eyes blazing wildly with wanting.

Dawntail shushed him with a lick to his muzzle. "No talking. Just _show_ me how you feel."

Buckstar licked her ear and placed a paw on the small of her back. He gently pushed her down until she crouched in front of him. He stalked around her and brushed against her side.

She was shivering silently, her eyes half-closed and waiting, paws kneading on the ground.

"I want _you_, Dawn." Buckstar growled into her ear.

"Then. Don't. Keep. Me. Waiting!" She spat. She waited for this a long time…she could not wait any longer…She gritted her teeth anticipating what has to come.

He took a deep breath. This was it.

* * *

**See, what did I tell you? **_**So**_** not M-rated! Dawntail's quite the character though, right? Chapter 11 comin' up soon! And I know who you are, you lazy readers (or maybe you're just shy? **_**How**_** can you be shy? Tsk-tsk! Shame on you! No shyness allowed!...just kidding! XD) Review! I don't bite, at least not though the computer screen…**

**P.S. I'm sorry, my faithful reviewers and readers, if you had to go through that little rant I had up there and cringe, but I just had to say it. I've seen it done so many times and it just bugs the crap out of me. :(**

**-Evanessence**


	12. Chapter 11: The Aftermath

_**Haikus are random**_

_**But yet they make so much sense**_

_**Refrigerator**_

**(Found it on some profile somewhere)**

**Haikus are cool, yet insanely random! Love it! Thank you, all you reviewers, even you, Tayo, who came out of the shadows just to say how great my story is! **

**Hi! XD **

_**Your wait is over**_

_**Here is chapter eleven**_

_**Congratulations**_

**(_My_ little haiku!)**

* * *

Chapter 11- The Aftermath

They lay there, panting. Buckstar was still mounted on top of Dawntail.

"Get off me, you big lump!" She hissed and pushed him off to the ground.

Buckstar rolled around in the grass, feeling giddy. This was the first time he had mated with a she-wolf and it was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced.

Dawntail shakily stood up, but then collapsed, wincing in obvious pain.

Buckstar rushed to her aide. "Are you okay?" He asked feverishly.

"I'm fine." She grunted. "Just a little woozy, that's all."

"Did I hurt you?" He asked. He would never forgive himself if he had hurt her.

Dawntail licked his muzzle. "You worry too much, Bucky. I'm fine. It's…uh, normal, I guess."

Buckstar frowned, not very confident that was true.

"Honestly, Buckstar. I'm fine." Dawntail growled and pushed her muzzle into his chest fur.

Her touch seemed to reassure the he-wolf, because he said, "That was…exhilarating."

She smiled and took a shuddering breath.

"It was like nothing I have…ever felt before, Dawn. I think I…_love _you."

Her eyes fluttered for a moment and she drew in a sharp breath.

Buckstar's heart sank. Surely, she felt the same way. If not, then why did she just mate with him?

"I…" Dawntail started and bit her lip.

"Please tell me you love me too!" Buckstar begged. He felt like he could fly to the sun when she was near him. Surely, that is love. Right?

"Love is such a simple word to describe what I feel about you." Dawntail whispered.

Buckstar cocked his head uncertainly. Did she love him or not? "Please tell me."

Dawntail gave a sly smile. "This time, _I'll _show you how I feel."

Buckstar grinned as she padded closer to him until he could feel her hot breath on his neck.

Unexpectedly, she barreled into him, laughing playfully.

Buckstar landed on his back with a huff, her small paws on his broad chest. "Hey!" He grunted coyly and kneaded her white underbelly with his hind paws.

Dawntail licked his muzzle and whispered something in his ear that made his hunter green eyes light up in excitement.

Buckstar nipped at her paws, causing her to yip playfully.

Dawntail was about to come back with another move of her own until a rustle from a bush behind them interrupted her.

"_Buckstar?_" A voice cried.

The Alpha looked up and saw an upside-down Lilyfrost. He hastily pushed Dawntail off and got up.

The silver she-wolf looked surprise and…_hurt_?

"Can we help you?" Dawntail growled, irritated that Lilyfrost interrupted their game.

Lilyfrost was speechless, still in a state of shock.

Buckstar stepped closer to her. "Lilyfrost, does Larksong need me?"

Lilyfrost's wide lilac-colored eyes turned to him. He thought he saw tears start to form at the edges, but she quickly blinked them away.

_Is she _crying_?_ Buckstar thought, concerned for his friend.

"We don't have all day." Dawntail growled, lashing her tail angrily.

"S-sorry to h…have bothered you." Lilyfrost sniffed through gritted teeth. Before anyone could say another word, she stormed off, not looking back.

Buckstar fought the urge to run after her. _What's wrong with her? _He thought feverishly. _What's wrong with _everyone_?_

Dawntail nudged his shoulder with her muzzle. "Let's continue, Buckstar. It was my turn." She whispered.

Buckstar shook his head. "No. I have to get back to camp."

Dawntail frowned. "Oh. I see."

Buckstar licked her ear affectionately. "Later, okay? Tonight I'll take you somewhere special."

"Where?" Dawntail asked, her eyes brightening.

"I can't tell you yet. It's a secret."

Dawntail nuzzled him. "Oh, Bucky. You're _so_ mysterious sometimes."

Buckstar smiled mischievously. "Do you like that about me?" He asked.

"Like it? I _love_ it!"

Buckstar led his mate through the forest until they came to the entrance of the camp.

Dawntail sighed and licked his cheek. "I guess I have to leave you now, right?"

Buckstar nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be back."

Dawntail smirked. "I know_ that_, silly. Just…hurry." With a last lick, she left him and padded into the Pack Den, probably to get some rest.

Buckstar himself felt a little lightheaded, but he could not let something as simple as that get in the way of his Alpha duties. He searched for Larksong, and he found him talking to Hawkflight.

He padded up to them, and gave them a curt nod.

"Buckstar, you were gone for a long while." Larksong said. "Did you run into any trouble?"

"No…" The Alpha replied.

Larksong looked confused. "Because I saw Hollypaw come back without you, and boy was she in a bad mood. I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't listen to me. I started to worry about you, so I sent Lilyfrost to get you, in case you _did_ get into any trouble."

Buckstar kept quiet, knowing now that Lilyfrost had not come on her own free will.

Larksong's expression grew concerned. "She also came back looking like a mess. What happened?"

Hawkflight could not help but interrupt. "My, uh…sister was also missing. Did she have anything to do with this?"

Buckstar opened his mouth to reply, but he nothing to say. Would these wolves find out what he was up to? Surely mating was not breaking the Wolf Code. "Dawn helped me train Hollypaw, that's all." Why did he lie?

Hawkflight raised a brow. "Dawn? I thought she was called Dawntail now."

"Yeah. I meant Dawntail. Right."

"Is there anything wrong, Buckstar?" Larksong asked.

Buckstar shook his head. "Everything's perfectly fine."

He did not seem convinced and neither did Hawkflight.

"Honestly, _everything's fine_."

His growl must have gotten through to the wolves because they quickly changed the subject.

"Hawkflight, how did you get that scar?" Larksong asked.

The dark ginger warrior sighed and closed his amber eyes. "That's…a quite personal question." He growled.

Larksong was visibly embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry, uh-"

"But I guess I have to tell _someone_."

Buckstar perked his ears, intrigued. He had always wondered on how Hawkflight got the scar and the reason he has a brown feather on his head.

Hawkflight opened his eyes again, their piercing amber burning though the wolves' fur.

"I have been a loner all my life. I used to live in the mountains, you see."

"The mountains? Really?" Larksong asked, clearly awed.

Buckstar had never met a wolf from the mountains and he had always dreamed of traveling to those faraway peaks.

Hawkflight nodded. "The mountains are a very hard place to live in. There are cougars, eagles and…" He paused for a moment ad growled in a deeper voice, "hawks."

Buckstar gulped. Hawkflight made these 'hawks' sound terrible.

"When I was just a pup, my family taught me how to hunt and fight, like the apprentices do here in RainPack. We were not much of a family, really. It was just my mother and I. My father left us for who knows where…that coward."

Buckstar nodded sympathetically. He was lucky he had actually _been _with his father for a short period of his life.

"My mother was teaching me how to hunt hawk one day. They're these big birds that have long, sharp talons." He suddenly shuddered. "Anyways, she told me it wasn't easy to catch them, for hawks can be as smart as wolves. She had learned the technique by watching the cougars catch them in mid-air. She told me to jump like this at the right moment." Hawkflight jumped high in the air, his strong hind legs making it easier for him to reach an incredible height. He swiped a clawed paw at an invisible flying object.

_Living in the mountains must do that to you._ Buckstar thought enviously.

"And maybe you could snatch it right out of the air…if you're lucky of course."

"Is hawks all you hunt in the mountains?" Larksong asked.

Hawkflight shook his head. "We hunted mostly eagles and occasional hawk, but there were also rabbits and mountain goats to consider."

Buckstar blinked in confusion. He had never heard these terms used in his life. _I guess living in the mountains is a whole other world compared to the forest._ He thought.

"So, the day after my mother had finished teaching me, she went to hunt. She had just given birth to a pup and I was in charge for a while to take care of her. She was a small little thing, white as snow. I knew she wouldn't last long on the mountains with a pelt like that."

"What…you _knew_?" Buckstar asked, mortified. He also had another nagging question on his mind. "Where was Dawntail in all of this?"

Hawkflight looked confused for a moment, and then his eyes flickered with recognition.

"Oh, uh, she's my…half-sister, you see?"

"Half-sister?" Larksong looked just as puzzled as the Alpha was.

"Yeah, she…is from my father's side. He…had another mate after my mother. I-"

"So…you met her later on?" Buckstar asked.

Hawkflight nodded. "Just recently, actually."

"You both were traveling together before you joined RainPack?" The Alpha asked.

"Yes."

Buckstar nodded. He was satisfied with Hawkflight's answer. After all, if Dawntail had not arrived with him, Buckstar would not have found his love.

"Get back to your story." Larksong seemed anxious to find out what happened next, as a little pup would do hearing a tale of long ago from an elder.

Hawkflight cleared his throat and continued,

"Where was I? Oh, yeah. While my mother was out, I heard a screech outside the cave where we slept in. My small sister wandered out the cave, curious, like any other pup. Her eyes were already open, but she still didn't know any better."

His tone suddenly got softer and he took a shaky breath.

"Little did I know…there was a hawk outside that moment, waiting for her to stumble outside..."

Larksong gasped and Buckstar shook his head sadly.

"The stupid hawk got her. I tried to run after it, and I jumped as high as I could, but it slashed me and the only thing I managed to get a pawhold of was feathers." Hawkflight bowed his head. "And," he mumbled, "This feather and scar are just reminders of what happened that day…"

"I'm sorry." Buckstar murmured, putting his tail on the large he-wolf's shoulder reassuringly.

Hawkflight pushed him away. "After that, I was a changed wolf. No longer will I let anyone stop me, because the spirit of the hawk is within me."

Buckstar's ears rang with Hawkflight's ominous words.

"I renamed myself Hawk because of it." The warrior growled.

Larksong could not help it. "What was your first name?"

"That…" Hawkflight said, "Will stay with me until I die."

Larksong looked frightened and shut his mouth.

Buckstar chuckled. "Alright, enough chatting," He told them, "Larksong, I have thought of another patrol we can organize."

The Beta wolf cocked his head. "What is it?"

"It would be called a Pack Hunt. We would assign five wolves to go. Warriors, apprentices, it doesn't matter. The Alpha wolf would always lead the Hunt. They would hunt big prey, like deer and others that only a group of wolves can hunt together."

Larksong's ears perked forward in interest. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Yeah, so instead of just small prey, like foxes, we would be catching prey that would feed the whole pack! It would happen every full moon and on that same night, we would have the Pack Gathering. All of RainPack would eat the prey together under the moon."

Hawkflight nodded. "That sounds…interesting."

"I think it's great." Larksong smiled.

"The full moon is only a few days away, so I suggest you start thinking about the five wolves that would come with me."

"I will." Larksong bowed his head respectfully. He left him, with Hawkflight following closely.

Buckstar looked around the camp and saw Sparrowfeather's pups lying in the sun in front of the Nursery. They slept contentedly their small chests rising and falling in rhythm, and he thought. _Even though_ _their eyes are closed,_ he thought, _they could still know about the sun and its life-giving warmth. _

His eyes caught the form of Lilyfrost's faint outline behind the Nursery entrance. _What is she doing there_? He thought and he gritted his teeth. He has to talk to her about what happened earlier in the day.

With his head held high, he started to walk.

* * *

_**Please review, readers**_

'_**Tis my motivation for**_

_**Procrastination**_

**(It's really corny XD, but at least I wrote it. I'm not really good at haikus (and yes, I'm a procrastinator, but I usually do my best when under pressure! Weird, I know)) Chapter 12 is coming soon!**

**-Evanessence**


	13. Chapter 12: Secrets

**Scarflower- Dawntail was never my favorite…er…actually, I hate her. Now she's Buckstar's mate. He's so oblivious; it's a wonder why I made him Alpha. But that's what makes a story interesting, right?**

**This is the chapter that things get a little weird around the RainPack camp…read and you'll see.**

* * *

Chapter 12- Secrets

Cautiously, he approached her. What was he going to say? Realizing this, he stopped short. _I can't just prance in and blurt that I have just found my true love. No, I have to tell it to her truthfully. She's my friend after all._

He could see her faint outline against the swaying lichen. He could tell her back was to him. _What is she doing? It looks like she's talking to someone._ He thought.

He pushed his muzzle through the lichen and Lilyfrost's head swiveled to him. Her eyes were red and her silver fur looked tear-stained, like she had been crying.

Sparrowfeather was sitting in front of her, her tail wrapped around her paws. Her yellow eyes were narrowed at him, almost as if she knew something he did not.

"Lilyfrost, what's wrong?" Buckstar asked, clearly worried.

Lilyfrost just turned her back on him again, sniveling.

"Why is she crying?" He asked, his voice growing angry. Whoever did this to Lilyfrost had _him _to answer to.

Sparrowfeather got up and laid her tail on Lilyfrost's shoulder. "She…" She started to say.

Lilyfrost shook her away. "I'm fine, Sparrowfeather." She sniffed.

"Lilyfrost-" Sparrowfeather started to growl.

"I need to go." She said sharply.

Buckstar watched in silence. What is StarPack's name is going on?

Without looking at him, she brushed past him.

"I thought we could tell each other _everything_." Buckstar growled to her before she could slip away out of the entrance.

"I thought so too." She whispered sadly and left him in a cloud of questions.

Sparrowfeather coughed lightly. "I need to get back to my pups before they start missing me."

_She's not going anywhere without giving me an explanation!_ Buckstar thought angrily and stepped in her way as she started to leave.

"Buckstar, let me go." She hissed.

"I'm your Alpha." Buckstar growled. "And you will not leave until you give me an explanation."

Sparrowfeather bowed her head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

Buckstar's upper lip curled into a snarl. His head was pounding. He really wanted to know what was wrong with his best friend! "Why not?"

"I have made a promise that I intend to keep. Now let me go." She brushed past him hurriedly, almost making him stumble to the ground.

Buckstar let out a frustrated bark as she padded away. He scanned the mossy inside of the Nursery and growled to himself, "What has Lilyfrost got to hide?"

He left the Nursery hastily, quickly trotting past Sparrowfeather and her pups. She did not look up at him and kept herself preoccupied with them.

Buckstar stared at the ground as he stomped across the clearing and he did not notice Stormpaw until he crashed into him, causing the apprentice to scatter wads of moss all over the earth-worn dirt.

"Aw, look at what you made me do now!" He growled and started to gather up the moss again.

"S-sorry." Buckstar mumbled.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you today?" His brother asked him.

Buckstar shrugged, his mind still whirling.

Stormpaw frowned. "Okay then. It's not like I have anything else better to do then fix the bedding the Nursery. Maybe talking to Hollypaw is a better option. She's just pushing me away, as the last time I tried to start some sort of a conversation with her. Oh, I hate this."

Buckstar rolled his eyes. "Stormpaw, the more you gripe about it the worse it is."

"Sure." He growled and picked up the moss in his jaws again. "Just keep your eyes forward next time." He then brushed past him and into the nursery.

Buckstar sighed. _I'll talk to Dawntail. She'll help me clear my head for sure._ He padded inside the Pack Den and looked around. She was not there. Instead, Fernleaf and Hollypaw were talking.

"Hollypaw, that's ridiculous. Who'd ever heard of such thing?" Fernleaf laughed. Clearly, she was in a good mood, angrily reflecting Buckstar's dark one.

"I swear to StarPack I saw it with my own eyes." Hollypaw put one of her paws on her chest and bowed her head.

"It's just so-oh, Buckstar, I didn't see you there." Fernleaf turned towards him, her green eyes glittering.

Buckstar did not reply and instead asked, "Where's Dawntail?"

The Healer instantly grew concerned at the Alpha's sharp tone of voice. "She…she's in a hunting patrol with Larksong and Hawkflight. They left just a few minutes ago."

Buckstar gritted his teeth. He had just missed them.

"Is there…something we should talk about?" She asked.

Hollypaw looked confused. "What's going on?" She asked, cocking her little head.

Fernleaf gently nudged her away. "Go now. You'll tell me the rest of your story later."

Hollypaw shot a glance at Buckstar through narrowed eyes and grumbled, "Okay." She walked past him and out the entrance.

"There's nothing to talk about, Fernleaf." Buckstar growled.

Fernleaf shook her head. "I'm not sure about that, Buckstar. You look bothered to me."

"Nothing. Is. Wrong." He spat.

Fernleaf drew back in surprise. "Buckstar, are you okay?" She asked.

He then started to tear at the moss under him. "Everything's going so fast. I can't keep up…I'm starting to fade away…"

"Buckstar, what are you talking about?" Fernleaf started to sound frantic as he tore up the moss with fury. His pupils dilated and he started to tremble violently.

"Buckstar?!" She asked again.

"Can't keep up…" He then collapsed, his breaths coming out in sharp spasms.

"Buckstar!" Fernleaf hurried towards him, her paws working fast on his flank. "No, he's blacking out! Buckstar!" She cried.

The Alpha closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

_Darkness. That's all he could see. Darkness. _

_He tried to cry out, but his voice felt like it was caught in his throat. He felt a sudden chill sift through his fur and his heart started to pound in his chest in fear. _

What's going on? Where am I?_ He looked around, but it was as if he was blind. Not even the tiniest speck of light glimmered in the distance. _

I'm dead. I'm dead.

_He suddenly felt a stabbing sensation on his flank and he felt icy claws rake down his back, as if some invisible force was attacking him. He tried to claw at his opponent, but his efforts were futile. Every time he tried to attack it, his paws only felt air._

"_You cannot escape me." An eerie voice crept into his ear._

Leave me alone! _Buckstar writhed as he felt a weight pin him down into the murky darkness._

"_You must obey."_

_Buckstar's lungs felt they were being crushed by claws as inky darkness began to crawl on top of his body. He could feel its snaky, cold tendrils as it pushed him further down into the darkness. _

"_You must submit to me." _

_The coldness went up to his neck now. He gasped as he tried to take a breath, but it was like trying to count all of the hairs on his pelt. It just could not be done. The darkness felt like water. It_ was_ water! Suddenly, he was in a river, the cold liquid pounding in his ears. He could see now. It was as if the darkness had been scared away._

"_Buckpup, Buckpup!" He heard a voice call out into the distance._

_He struggled against the raging current. "Help me, Dad! Help me!" He heard himself cry. _

_He suddenly saw a dark figure leap onto the pebbles of the far bank. "Don't worry, I've got you!"_

"_Don't leave me!" He gurgled as he swallowed some river water. _

"_I will never leave you! Hold on!"_

"_I can't!" His voice hung in the air as the current finally overpowered him and he sank down, feeling his body grow ice cold once again._

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

He shivered as he opened his eyes.

"He's alive!"

"Thank StarPack!"

He looked around and saw Fernleaf hovering above him anxiously. He suddenly was startled and sat up.

"No, go back down; you're not fully healed yet!" Fernleaf forced him down on his belly again and he gave a low groan. His limbs felt stiff, as if he has not used them in ages.

Dawntail was at his other side. "Is he okay?" She asked feverishly.

Buckstar's heart trilled at the sound of her voice. Yes...his love was here.

"His waking up is a good sign." Fernleaf said.

He felt Dawntail's muzzle brush against his broad shoulder. "Oh, I thought I had lost you for sure!" She whimpered.

"How long was I out?" He croaked. His throat was extremely dry.

"Shh." Fernleaf whispered. 'You'll only make it worse if you talk."

"I'll go get some water." It was Hollypaw's voice now.

"Yes, now hurry." Fernleaf said, her voice full of urgency.

Dawntail pressed her muzzle on his flank. "Don't leave me, Buckstar. Please."

Buckstar was confused. "I'm not going anywhere." He rasped. "Fernleaf, how long had I been out?"

Fernleaf did not attempt to shush him now. "Two days." She answered.

Buckstar gasped in surprise. "Two _days_?!" He struggled to get up, but Fernleaf's steady paw once again pushed him down.

"I thought…I thought…" Dawntail said, her voice starting to crack.

"We thought you were…" Fernleaf just could not say it either.

Buckstar blinked impatiently. What was all this fussing over him about? Surely he couldn't have been out for two whole days?!

Dawntail started to wail. "We thought you were dead!" She buried her muzzle into his neck and cried.

Fernleaf sniffed. "There was nothing I could've done. This…this is practically a miracle."

"What happened?" He asked.

Dawntail just continued to sob uncontrollably. He put his tail on her back reassuringly, but somehow that made her cry even louder.

Fernleaf took a shaky breath. "Something happened; I'm not sure what though. You collapsed and-"

Buckstar heard the swaying of lichen as Hollypaw returned with a wad of moss soaked with water.

"Good, Hollypaw." Fernleaf told her meekly, took it from her jaws, and pressed it on Buckstar's lips. He lapped it up eagerly and sighed as the refreshing drops slid down his throat.

"Dawntail, I need you to move so I can check his pulse." The Healer told his mate.

The she-wolf did not budge and kept sniveling into his fur.

"Dawntail-" Fernleaf started to growl but Buckstar cut her off.

"Dawn, listen to her." He said to her.

He felt her tongue lick his ear. "I thought I'd never hear you call me that again, Buckstar." She sniffed.

He smiled.

She moved out of Fernleaf's way and the she-wolf hurriedly pressed her paw on his flank. A silence blanketed the den as she listened.

"It's alright now." She said and lifted her paw.

Dawntail breathed a sigh of relief and cuddled up next to him, her nose brushing his.

Buckstar licked his mate's snout as she drifted off to sleep.

Hollypaw, who had been strangely quiet, padded up to her mentor's side.

"You scared me." She said shakily, her whole body shivering.

Buckstar reached up and licked one of her ears. "Don't worry. I'm still fighting strong."

Hollypaw sniffed and blinked back tears. She hurriedly slipped out of the Healer's Den. Buckstar caught sight of the setting sun over the waterfall as the lichen swayed back to place.

_It's _that_ late?_ He thought. He heard Fernleaf shift through her herbs and he could scent the fear-scent emanating from her. Dawntail had fallen asleep curled up next to him, her soft breaths tickling his ear.

"You didn't finish." He told the Healer.

Fernleaf turned to look at him, and the look she gave him made him uneasy. "You had no pulse, Buckstar. That means…you're heart wasn't beating."

Buckstar's mouth opened in a gape.

Fernleaf turned her back against him once again as she spoke, "I…I thought you were dead. Your heart wasn't beating for two…whole…days." With that, she broke down weeping.

Buckstar's ears flicked forward. "Fernleaf, why are you crying?" He asked and placed a paw on one of hers, causing her to jump and shortly stop her sobbing. She turned to him.

"I thought…I had lost you…for good." She sniveled, her green eyes brimming with tears. "Only…only something as great as StarPack could have made you alive again."

"Maybe I had just lost a life!" He exclaimed. He had almost forgotten that an Alpha has five lives and can therefore die repeatedly!

Fernleaf just blinked at him. "For two days, Buckstar. You have been dead for two…_days_! Normally when an Alpha loses a life, he is only out for a minute or two!"

Buckstar gasped again. "What could it have been?"

"I don't know. That's what scares me."

Buckstar frowned. He remembered his strange vision of darkness…then a river…

"I'm just glad you're alive." Fernleaf smiled.

Buckstar reached out his neck to lick her. "Don't worry, I'll be here as long as RainPack needs me."

Fernleaf shuddered. "And to think Larksong was about to become Alpha…"

"Was he?" Buckstar asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes. He came in my den earlier when you were still…out. We had a talk about your…condition."

"What did he say?" Buckstar could not help but feel a tug in his heart. Larksong had already thought about replacing him.

"He said RainPack needed an Alpha as soon as possible. He said a pack could not run without an Alpha in command." Fernleaf bowed her head.

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. "Where is he now?" He asked.

"He's out…doing some sort of hunt. He said you told him about it a few days earlier?"

Buckstar fully closed his eyes. "Yes, the Pack Hunt."

"He wanted to do it…he said it was your…last wish." She sighed shakily.

"The rest of the wolves are out?" He asked.

Fernleaf nodded.

Buckstar looked out. The sun had now fully set and the full moon was poking out between the clouds. The thunderous water of the waterfall made it shimmer, as if the moon itself were made from stars.

"After that there would be a Pack Gathering…" Fernleaf said. "At least that's what he told me."

Buckstar smirked. "It would have been a funeral if I were _really_ dead."

Fernleaf frowned. "Don't say that." She growled sternly.

"Hey, I'm only joking around!" Buckstar laughed.

Fernleaf still had the frown plastered on her face. "They should be back anytime soon."

Buckstar shifted against Dawntail and he licked her between her ears. "Was she here all the time?" He asked.

Fernleaf blinked. "Actually, I think Lilyfrost's been here more than her."

"Lilyfrost?" Buckstar asked incredulously.

Fernleaf nodded and flicked her tail against Dawntail's flank. "The whole pack knows you two are mates now, Buckstar."

He blushed.

"But for some reason Lilyfrost has been here diligently. It's like…I don't know. Maybe…hm... it's hard to figure out." Her eyes glinted with some unknown knowledge.

Buckstar's memory was returning to him slowly. "She's my best friend. Of course she would visit me."

Fernleaf nudged him gently. "She was getting a bit annoying sometimes, actually. Patrols for her were torture because she had to leave your side and when she was done, she would come right back here. At least she gave me good company. Even before that, she wouldn't give up your body, saying you were still alive!"

"Really?" Buckstar asked, intrigued.

Fernleaf nodded.

Buckstar thought for a moment and looked at his sleeping mate. "Was…Dawntail in here too?"

The Healer blinked at him and swept her gaze to the light ginger she-wolf. "Well…when Lilyfrost wasn't in here, that's for sure."

Buckstar grunted. "Interesting."

"Lilyfrost never gave up hope, you know." Fernleaf added quickly. "She somehow knew you were still in there…that you still haven't left for StarPack."

Buckstar looked at the ground. He was speechless. Last time he remembered Lilyfrost and he were not on speaking terms. Was there still hope that she could still be friends with him?

Hollypaw suddenly appeared at the entrance, her moonlight silhouette dancing against the waterfall.

"Yes?" Fernleaf asked.

"They're here."

* * *

**You must be thinking, 'Whoa, did I read that right? Did Buckstar **_**die**_** and just mysteriously resurrect after two days?' Why, yes he did. No, not because I wanted to kill him off, then suddenly have a change of heart and make him alive again. That is **_**not**_** the answer. You'll see later on in the story why. And…also maybe because I like keeping you on the edge of your seat waiting until I update again! –chuckles evilly- XD **

**P.S- I'm going to post my songfic. Only the first chapter of it, though. The other few chapters are spoilers, so they'll have to wait until later. Make sure to read and review it!**

**-Evanessence**


	14. Chapter 13: Denial

**Chapter 13…hm...lucky number thirteen. ****In this chapter, we have a little bit of a flashback, so don't get all confused on me...**

* * *

Chapter 13- Denial

_Two days earlier…_

"What do you mean he's dead?"

Larksong stood outside the Healer's Den, the tip of his tail twitching nervously. "We don't know for sure, Dawntail. Fernleaf's still trying to figure it out."

"I have to see him!" She cried and tried to push past him and into the den.

Larksong shoved her back, not too far, that she might fall into the waterfall behind them. "No, she needs to be alone, Dawntail." He growled.

"He's my mate!" She hissed.

"Really?" He asked.

Dawntail just glared at him and paced back and forth.

"I knew it." He mumbled to himself.

"He can't just die!" Dawntail growled. "Oh, I have to see him!" She said again.

"He has five lives, remember?" Larksong assured her.

Their conversation abruptly interrupted when Lilyfrost appeared next to them.

Dawntail gave her a look of disgust and growled, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Lilyfrost looked equally as disgusted. "I just came to find out what's going on. I was hunting and-"

"He's dead, that's what." Dawntail snapped.

Lilyfrost's face paled. "W-what d-do-"

"Buckstar is not dead, Lilyfrost." Larksong growled, glaring at Dawntail.

"What do you suppose happened to him, then, Mr. Genius?" The light ginger she-wolf hissed and looked over his shoulder, but she could not see inside. It was just too dark.

"What happened?" Lilyfrost asked shakily. She looked like she was about to cry.

"He….collapsed." Larksong answered sadly.

Dawntail let out a wail and continued her frantic pacing.

"How did it happen?" Lilyfrost asked, tears starting to fall.

"Nobody knows."

Dawntail suddenly stopped for a moment, her eyes full with tears. Her expression was calculating, as if she could know what was wrong with Buckstar.

"Can I see him?" Lilyfrost sniffed, her tears flowing freely now.

Larksong was about to open his mouth to answer but Fernleaf's dark gray head poked through the lichen, her face grave. "Come." She growled and disappeared inside the den again.

The three wolves hurriedly entered; their faces full of worry.

Buckstar lay on the ground, his once alight body cold and dull. His eyes were closed and his mouth was tightly shut, looking more as if he was sleeping, not dead.

"Is he…" Lilyfrost cried and hurried to his side.

Dawntail went to his other side and let out a chilling wail.

Fernleaf gritted her teeth to keep from crying aloud. "He has no pulse." She said shakily.

Larksong's expression turned from worried to fearful. "What does that mean?" He asked.

Fernleaf watched Dawntail bury her muzzle into Buckstar's light brown flank and she chocked back a sob. "He's dead, Larksong."

Larksong's ice blue eyes darkened. He looked away and his body shook with emotion. "It can't be!" He hissed and Fernleaf saw his claws dig into the mossy floor of her den.

"There's…nothing I could do." She admitted and bowed her head.

"He can't just drop dead!" Larksong cried.

The grieving she-wolves sobbed harder, their howls echoing throughout the cave.

"My friend…my only friend…I'm so sorry…" Lilyfrost whispered into Buckstar's cold fur and shut her eyes.

Dawntail's head suddenly shot up and her dark blue eyes pierced through Fernleaf. "Are you sure he didn't just lose a life?" She asked her desperately. "I heard that Alphas have five lives and…"

"Yeah, maybe that's it!" Larksong interjected hopefully. "Is it?"

Fernleaf gazed into his ice blue eyes and shook her head grimly. "No, Larksong. He has been gone for far too long to lose a life."

"No!" Dawntail cried and threw herself on Buckstar, sobbing hysterically.

Lilyfrost just stared blankly at her friend's once handsome face, her tears falling down like rain.

"I suppose we'd have to bury him…" Larksong murmured.

Lilyfrost suddenly whirled her head at him, her eyes blazing wildly and her sharp, white teeth bared. "How can you be so heartless? He still deserves respect just like the Alpha he is!"

Larksong was taken back by her sudden outrage. "W-what? He's dead after all!"

"No he's not!" She cried.

Fernleaf pressed her muzzle against her shoulder. "Yes he is."

"No he's not!" She pressed. She started to cry hysterically, adding to Dawntail's already loud sobbing.

"I'll get you some poppy seeds and-"

Lilyfrost was crazy now. "No, no, no! I don't need any stupid seeds! He's _not _dead!" She was breathing hard as she spat out her words. "He. Not. Dead! He can't die!"

Even Dawntail stopped her crying and looked up and her.

"He…can't…die!" Lilyfrost buried her muzzle in Buckstar's flank, her tears soaking his light brown fur.

Fernleaf put her tail on her shoulder comfortingly.

Larksong bowed his head. "I'll…go and tell RainPack."

Fernleaf turned her head towards him and nodded. She mouthed silent thanks and watched him slip out of the den quietly.

Dawntail was staring at Lilyfrost, her eyes clouded over.

Fernleaf couldn't put her paw on it, but she could tell there was more than grief in those eyes…was it _jealousy_? No…it couldn't be…

She went over to a poppy head on one of the shelves on the wall, gathered some poppy seeds in her paws, and took them to Dawntail. "Eat these," She told her, "it'll help you feel better."

Dawntail sighed and lapped up the tiny black seeds.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Fernleaf asked her.

Her eyes flashed at the unexpected question.

The Healer's heart sank and she was afraid that she asked that question at the wrong time.

Dawntail gave a small nod. "It looks like I wasn't the only one." She growled and pointed to Lilyfrost, whose crying had decreased to just whimpering.

Fernleaf frowned and shook her head. This was all too complicated for her. She would never have a love life as long as she was Healer of this pack.

She brought the poppy seeds to the silver she-wolf and nudged her shoulder. "Eat them, I promise it'll make you feel better."

"Nothing can help me now…" She responded, much to Fernleaf's surprise. Maybe Lilyfrost _did_ love Buckstar. "I have nothing to live for…nothing…"

"Don't say that." Fernleaf growled and nudged her more fiercely. "Just eat it."

Lilyfrost reluctantly licked up the seeds from her paw, grimacing with distaste.

"Now go to the Pack Den, where you can get some real rest." She told her.

The she-wolf shook her head. "No." She sniffed. "I want to stay here with him."

Dawntail shifted from her place beside her former mate. "Me too." She shot Lilyfrost a glare that could burn.

Lilyfrost, however, was undeterred. "Please." She begged the Healer.

Fernleaf furrowed her brows. "Well, alright. I'm going to go outside to listen to Larksong." Without another word, she left them. Looking over her shoulder as the lichen swayed behind her, she thought, _who knows what will happen in there while I'm gone._

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The two she-wolves did not speak for a while, listening to the gathering outside and the eruption of wails when Larksong told them the horrific news.

Lilyfrost's head was on Buckstar's still flank and Dawntail's head on his broad shoulder. She sniveled quietly as she lay there, her whole body trembling.

"I still can't believe it." Dawntail whispered, breaking the awful silence.

Lilyfrost did not respond nor look up. She was lost in her own memories.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Dawntail asked, mimicking Fernleaf's straightforward question.

Lilyfrost kept silent.

Dawntail shifted uneasily. She did not like the fact that Lilyfrost did not answer her. "Well, I…loved him too, you know."

Lilyfrost dared to look up at her, her lilac-eyes narrowed. "What do _you_ know about love?"

Dawntail bared her teeth angrily at the she-wolf. "I happen to know more than-"

"No you don't." Lilyfrost sighed.

"What are you saying?" Dawntail growled. "That I'm not a good lover?"

To her frustration, Lilyfrost did not reply.

"He told me that he loved me." The light ginger she-wolf said and brushed her tail over Buckstar's still hind legs.

Lilyfrost visibly flinched.

Dawntail blinked in surprise. She had obviously hit a tender spot in the she-wolf.

"He said he wanted me." She continued.

Lilyfrost turned her head away from her and curled up in a ball.

"He made me his mate this afternoon, you know." Dawntail whispered. She knew Lilyfrost was there and her face when she saw the two of them together. It told her everything. She could tell she had feelings for him.

"I-"

"Shut up." Lilyfrost growled.

Dawntail's mouth opened in a gape. "Excuse me?"

"I said shut it." The silver she-wolf hissed.

Dawntail bared her teeth and opened her mouth to shoot back with an angry retort, but she closed her jaws, thinking better of it. She just lay her head on her mate's back, closing her eyes.

Lilyfrost still trembled. Her life had been turned upside down in a single _day_. How could that even be _possible_?

She was about to drift off to sleep until the swaying of lichen snapped her back to attention. She saw Dawntail's retreating figure and snorted. So _much for staying here with her mate…_She thought angrily.

Fernleaf padded inside, her shadow stretching across the walls of the cavern.

Lilyfrost did not bother to greet her, but just continued her silent grieving.

She then saw a darker, broader shape slide next to the Healer, and Larksong slipped in as well.

"The pack wants to grieve for their lost Alpha." The black and white Beta wolf grumbled, avoiding her eyes.

"He's not dead!" Lilyfrost pleaded.

Fernleaf took a step forward. "Lilyfrost," She growled sternly, causing the she-wolf to flinch. "You cannot continue to act like this. He's dead."

Lilyfrost's lip trembled and she shook her head. "Just let me stay here with him, I'll take care of him. I will."

Fernleaf and Larksong exchanged a glance. Was Lilyfrost going crazy?

"He's dead, Lilyfrost." Larksong growled. No matter how many times the wolves told her, the she-wolf would not budge.

Fernleaf sighed, exasperated.

Larksong's eyes flashed angrily. "Lilyfrost, if you don't get off Buckstar's body right now, you will be considered a_ former_ RainPack warrior."

The she-wolf spat at him. "You're not Alpha yet!" She growled.

"Now I am." He corrected her tersely. "Now-"

"_I'm not going anywhere_."

Fernleaf nudged Larksong's shoulder with her muzzle. "She's in denial," She whispered in his ear, too soft for Lilyfrost to hear, "let her be for a few hours."

"But the pack-" Larksong started.

"Shh." Fernleaf brushed her tail over his mouth. "I'm concerned for her mental state right now. Let her find out by herself. Let's go."

Larksong grimaced and glared at Lilyfrost, who shot an equally venomous glare back at him through her tear-brimmed eyes.

Fernleaf left with the Beta at her heels.

Lilyfrost finally fell asleep, her staggered breathing echoing ominously across the shelf-lined walls of the cave.

Dawntail appeared at the entrance, her mouth formed in a snarl.

* * *

**Hmm…things get a little tense here between Dawntail and Lilyfrost. But we'll leave it at that for now. I've got to go away for a bit, maybe for two days. Where I'm going, there's no computer access. I know you guys will count every SECOND until I update, but alas, I can't until I come back. : ( **

**Don't slack off, though; I still expect reviews, and lots of 'em! XD **

**-Evanessence**


	15. Chapter 14: A Miracle

**YEAH! I'm back! Whoo hoo! Um…**

**I know you guys are telling me Lilyfrost and Buckstar would make the better pair…but that's up to him to decide, 'cause seriously, I'm just the author. I just type his story onto a word document. –quietly snickers- Or...maybe I should just kill off Dawntail and the problem will be solved …a pack of deranged, badgers will do her some good -cackles maniacally, coughs and falls off the chair- **

* * *

Chapter 14- A Miracle

Fernleaf got up hurriedly, awakening the sleeping Dawntail.

"What's going on?" She grumbled angrily.

Fernleaf ignored her question and spoke to Hollypaw. "Don't tell them yet. I'll be there."

The apprentice nodded, took one look at Buckstar and shot out of the den.

The Alpha struggled to get up. "Let me talk to them, I'm their Alpha."

"No, you are still too weak." Fernleaf growled and pushed him back down. She then nodded to them and slipped out of the den.

Dawntail sat up and flicked her ears forward. She looked outside the cave and narrowed her eyes for some reason.

Buckstar whimpered as he heard several howls echo throughout the clearing as the pack brought in prey. "I should be there." He grumbled.

Dawntail bent down to lick his ear. "You will be soon, don't worry."

Buckstar just shook his head and listened as the pack fell quiet. _Fernleaf must be telling them the news,_ he thought.

"He's come back from the dead?" He heard Stormpaw cry out.

He smiled. He would never think he would hear his brother's voice again.

"What?" Larksong echoed.

Buckstar smirked. "What a pleasant surprise to see your Alpha rank taken away from you, Larksong." He

He growled to himself.

Dawntail shifted uncomfortably beside him. "They're coming." She whispered.

Buckstar could see the horde of wolves running over to the entrance, but in a swift movement, Fernleaf blocked their way.

"He's still weak! Nobody can come in here yet!"

"I need to see him!" Lilyfrost cried.

Dawntail's neck bristled for some reason. "No you don't!" She growled, but Buckstar heard her.

He was about to ask her what she meant, but suddenly she put a paw over his back protectively. "Stay down." She hissed in his ear.

He did as he was told, his ears flattened against his head.

"I don't see him!" Stormpaw growled, trying to look over Fernleaf's shoulder.

"Is this some sort of joke?" Hawkflight hissed, his voice cutting sharply into Buckstar's ears.

"This is _not_ funny!" Larksong snapped.

"No it's not! He's _really_ alive!" Hollypaw objected. "I saw him with my own eyes!"

"Impossible!" Larksong growled.

"Larksong, Fernleaf and Hollypaw wouldn't lie to us." Lilyfrost was the one who spoke now. "I knew he was alive all along."

Fernleaf looked at her strangely. How could she have known all this time?

"Is Dawntail in there?" Hawkflight asked her, breaking into the Healer's thoughts.

Fernleaf did not answer, but stayed put. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "Nobody comes in here until I say it's okay to do so." She growled determinedly.

"It's not fair!" Stormpaw whined. "He's my brother!"

"How come his _mate_ gets to be in there?" Lilyfrost growled.

Buckstar could feel Dawntail's claws start to dig into his neck. "Hey!" He hissed at her.

"Oh, sorry!" She whispered and let go of his neck.

"I heard him!" Hollypaw cried hopefully. "See, I told you!"

"He's alive!" Hawkflight gasped. "How-"

Lilyfrost just burst into tears, much to everyone's surprise.

"I heard him too!" Stormpaw cried excitedly, his tail wagging. "Buckstar, I'm here! It's your brother, Stormpaw!"

Buckstar opened his mouth to answer back, but something told him to keep quiet.

"That's…" Larksong was speechless. "A…a miracle…"

"Thank StarPack!" Hollypaw cried.

"Yes, thank StarPack." Larksong whispered, but Buckstar could tell there was a bit of hurt in there.

"What's all this noise?" Sparrowfeather snapped angrily. Buckstar could hear the pitiful squeals of her puppies as she made her way to the Healer's Den.

"Buckstar's alive, mother!" Hollypaw told her.

She did not answer; Buckstar took that as being awe-struck.

"Sparrowfeather, he's _alive_!" Her daughter told her again.

"No…" The she-wolf whispered. "It just can't be done…"

"But it _has_ happened." Larksong said to his mate. "The Alpha of our pack has come back to lead us once again."

Buckstar smiled. That's _the Beta I appointed, not the wolf trying to be Alpha in my place. _He thought happily.

"Now go." Fernleaf growled. "I can't stay here forever."

The crowd was silent. They obviously still wanted to see him.

Larksong cleared his throat. "Let's eat the buck that we caught in celebration of our Alpha!" He cried. The crowd dispersed into happy howls and laughing voices.

Buckstar shivered. They caught a _buck_?

Fernleaf flinched. She must be thinking the same thing.

"Was this all an omen?" He asked himself.

"_What's_ an omen?" Dawntail asked.

Fernleaf padded into the den and sighed. "It could be all just a coincidence." She said.

"_What's _a coincidence?" The she-wolf asked again, this time more firmly.

"StarPack couldn't have…" Buckstar started.

"Argh! What's going on?" Dawntail hissed, irritated.

"Nothing, Dawntail." Fernleaf told her. "This is between Healer and Alpha."

Dawntail frowned and bared her teeth angrily.

Buckstar gently touched his nose to her chest. "Why don't you get me some of that buck, Dawn? I'm hungry."

Dawntail looked suspiciously at him, then at the Healer, but she slipped out of the den without another word.

Fernleaf lay down next to him and studied his face. "This must be StarPack's doing." She growled.

Buckstar shook his head. "Not…really."

Fernleaf cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Buckstar sighed and looked at the ground beneath him. "When I was…out, I had felt like something had…" He took a breath. He did not know the right word to say. "Possessed me."

"Possessed?"

Buckstar shivered at the memory. "It was all dark and something…or some_one_ tackled me to the ground. He…or _it_, I couldn't tell, told me to submit."

"Submit to what?" Fernleaf was concerned now.

Buckstar started to tremble uncontrollably, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits. He felt the icy claws rake down his spine again, this time it was for real.

"Buckstar!" Fernleaf cried. "Not again!"

Almost instantly, the chill passed, leaving the Alpha breathless. "I'm…I'm fine." He breathed.

The Healer was not the least convinced. She hurriedly got up, gathered some poppy seeds from the poppy head into her paw, and almost hurt Buckstar when she shoved them into his mouth.

"Eat!" She commanded and Buckstar reluctantly gulped down the seeds.

"Ugh! Fernleaf!" He growled irritably, licking up some seeds that stayed on his muzzle. "What's wrong?"

"It was about to happen again!" She whined and gathered more seeds.

"I don't need anymore!" He said and shifted away from her. "I'd_ really_ die if you give me too many!"

Fernleaf shot him a glare and reluctantly put back the poppy seeds.

"There." He said and let out a sigh. "I…just don't know what's coming over me."

Fernleaf brushed her muzzle against his reassuringly. "I'm sure StarPack would send a sign soon that would help clear out all of this."

Buckstar blinked at her. "A sign? How about an answer?"

For the first time in a long while, she chuckled. Then her mood suddenly changed. "I was almost convinced they didn't exist."

Buckstar's ears flipped forward in surprise.

"I had always thought about how they could kill our Alpha mercilessly. To have him there one second, and gone the next."

"I know how that feels." Buckstar sighed.

Fernleaf closed her eyes. "Me too, Buckstar. Me too."

"You still miss your pack, do you?" The Alpha asked.

Fernleaf's eyes glinted with faraway memories. "From time to time. My whole kin was there, you know. Didn't _you_ live in a pack once?"

Buckstar looked at his paws, trying hard to remember. "For a short time, yes. I was…forced be a loner once my pack separated."

"Yours too, huh?" She asked. She lay down next to him again, once her scare was over.

"Yeah, a _long _time ago, though."

"So, do you remember pack life at all?" She probed.

Buckstar shrugged. "Some of it. I think my father…Griffinstar, remember?"

Fernleaf's eyes flashed with recognition. "He's your father? I thought he was your brother! You two look so much alike!"

Buckstar smiled. "I think he was the Alpha of my pack."

"My father was the Alpha of my pack too." Fernleaf commented.

Buckstar cocked his head. "Do you remember his name?" He asked.

Fernleaf nodded. "Of course. Who couldn't forget Lionstar?"

Buckstar's heart sank. _Lionstar was the one who gave me my final life!_ He thought. _Fernleaf will be devastated if she hears he's dead!_

"Fernleaf, I'm very sorry to say this, but he's-"

"Dead. I know." She looked down at her paws, her eyes full of sadness. "My mother died too."

Buckstar's mouth opened in a gape. "How…how did you know?"

Fernleaf cuffed his ear gently. "Oh you bear-brain, I have a special link to StarPack too you know!"

Buckstar gritted his teeth. _Of course! I'm so stupid!_

Fernleaf licked him. "I enjoy this life as RainPack's Healer, though. To be surrounded by friends is enough for me."

Buckstar licked her back. "You'll always have friends here."

"Everyday that I spend here, my old life inches away from my memory like leaves falling from a tree."

The Alpha opened his mouth to say something else, but just then, Dawntail came back with a piece of meat in her jaws. She swept her gaze over Fernleaf and him lying there together and she narrowed her eyes. She put down the meat and growled. "Well, what do we have here?"

Fernleaf opened her muzzle, but Buckstar flicked his tail on her back. "I'll handle this." He whispered in her ear and turned to Dawntail.

"I thought Healers have…strict codes…" She snarled, glowering at the Healer.

"We weren't doing anything, Dawn." Buckstar said to her and sat up, his limbs groaning with the effort.

Fernleaf gasped. "Buckstar!"

Buckstar shook his head. "Relax, Fernleaf. It won't hurt if I move just a bit."

Fernleaf kept silent and drew back.

Buckstar licked his mate's cheek affectionately. "Thanks for the meat."

Dawntail jerked her head away from him. "I want to know why-"

"Shh." Buckstar whispered and licked her mouth, closing her jaws. "Don't worry, Dawn. You're the only she-wolf for me, remember? I'm forever faithful to you."

Dawntail looked wary, but she nodded. "Okay, Buckstar, I trust you."

"And I hope I can trust _you_." He asked her.

Dawntail blinked at him and gave a small nod.

Fernleaf watched them and concentrated on the mossy pattern of the ground, looking as if she was trying to keep her mind somewhere else.

Buckstar bent down and picked up the meat in his powerful jaws. "Let's share." He said, his voice muffled by the flesh.

Dawntail shook her head. "I'm okay. I ate while I was with the others."

Buckstar shrugged and asked, "Do you mind if I share with Fernleaf?"

Fernleaf's head shot up at the sound of her name.

"She's been working really hard. She deserves it."

His mate looked doubtful, but she reluctantly nodded.

Buckstar smiled and turned his body so he faced the Healer. He dropped the meat and pushed it towards her. "You first."

Fernleaf still looked dumbfounded, but she dug her teeth into the flesh and started to eat.

Buckstar then ate his fill, and when he was done, he sat up and licked the blood off his paws and muzzle.

Fernleaf gave a yawn and smiled. "Thanks for thinking of me."

Buckstar shrugged. "I have to think of others before myself. That's one of the basic things I learned when I was still a pup."

"Where'd Dawntail go?" The Healer asked, looking over his shoulder to where Dawntail once sat a moment before.

Buckstar shrugged again. "Who knows? She seems to disappear."

"Uh…huh." Fernleaf looked a bit suspicious.

Buckstar blinked at her. "She's just that type of girl." He defended his mate. "She's…floaty?"

"Floaty?" Fernleaf raised a brow.

Buckstar wanted to hit himself. "Yeah…she….floats…around…like a cloud…"

Fernleaf smirked. "Buckstar..."

Buckstar cocked his head in confusion. "Wha?" He blinked sleepily.

"I think you're getting woozy already. Get some rest." She stood up and shook herself. "Go on, lie down. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Is that all I can do now? Talk?"

Fernleaf flicked her tail over his ears affectionately. "Of course not, silly! I'm not going to keep you prisoner here forever!"

Buckstar yawned and lay down on the moss, stretching his paws in front of him. "It does feel kinda nice in here…" He mumbled drowsily.

"It's just the poppy seeds taking effect. Just close your eyes and sleep." Fernleaf told him.

Buckstar did as he was told and soon he was lost in his own dream world, his flanks rising and falling in rhythm.

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**-struggles to get up from the floor- Argghhh…darn sugar rush. Where are mah cookies? Need. More. SUGAR! **

…**or more reviews. **_**That **_**always ****works as a substitute. –sits back on chair and starts to work on chapter 15, desperately hoping for more reviews-**

**Evershine, here's another one of my genuine haikus- "An Ode To Cookies"**

_**My ode to cookies,**_

_**I pledge my good soul to you,**_

_**My sweet addiction**_


	16. Chapter 15: The Alpha's Return

**Here's chapter 15! Thanks for the reviews! One more and there'll be 30! Whoo hoo! All of you get Buckstar plushies to commemorate this wonderful event!**

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Chapter 15- The Alpha's Return

_Buckstar blinked his eyes sleepily and looked around. He was at the DreamPool. He sat up and swept his gaze over to the pool, where he saw the faint glitter of stars reflect across the surface. _

"_Huh?" He asked himself and padded over to it. He peered into the water and drew back in surprise as the figure of Rainstripe steadied in the calm water. _

"_Rainstripe?" He asked._

"_Yes," She replied. "I cannot talk for long." _

"_Why?" Buckstar asked. "I need answers!"_

"_Not all questions have answers." The StarPack wolf reminded him._

"_I know, I know." He groaned and pressed on further. "Why was I dead for _two_ days?"_

_Rainstripe's face looked grim. "The Darkness has finally discovered you." _

"_What? What Darkness?" He looked anxiously at the she-wolf, but her reflection just shimmered away. _

_He growled in frustration, but then the form of Lionstar took the place of the StarPack she-wolf. _

"_Lionstar! I-"_

_The golden he-wolf interrupted him. "Listen. The Darkness tried to manipulate your memories last time it had gotten a hold of you, but luckily Griffinstar had stepped in to help."_

"_What are you talking about?" The Alpha wolf cried. _

"_Something is coming, Buckstar. They have one goal in mind and we cannot tell you what it is, but just be cautioned." _

"_Tell me more!"_

"_They are- ugh!" The he-wolf's face suddenly disappeared, and the pool's clear water bubbled into an oozing, inky blackness. _

_Buckstar backed away in disgust. The world around him was turning black and he felt that icy feeling again. _

"_You cannot escape me." The voice hissed and his eyes suddenly saw nothing but darkness._

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He awoke. He flicked open his eyes and looked around. He was back at the Healer's Den. The early dawn's light flickered across the cave's walls and he yawned.

Dawntail was sleeping quietly next to him, and Fernleaf's curled up form was just a few tail-lengths away. He thought about his most recent dream. _What is coming? What is the Darkness? _As he brooded, Fernleaf stirred.

"Oh, I didn't know you were already awake." She yawned sleepily.

"Just woke up actually." He told her.

"Oh." She stood up and shook herself.

"I…had another dream." Buckstar said.

Fernleaf's ears flicked forward with interest. "Continue."

"This time I was at the DreamPool. I saw…uh…" He hesitated.

Fernleaf blinked impatiently. "Why did you stop? Go on."

"I saw some StarPack wolves. They warned me that something's coming and about the Darkness…"

"The Darkness?" Fernleaf gasped.

"You know about it?" Buckstar asked hopefully.

Fernleaf shook her head. "It just sounds….horrible. So StarPack told you this?"

Buckstar nodded.

"Did they tell you why you died and came back from the dead?"

Buckstar blinked. That was a very straightforward way to say it. "Well, they said the Darkness tried to manipulate my memories…"

Fernleaf looked puzzled. "Huh?"

"I know. It's confusing me too."

Dawntail opened her eyes and yawned. She got up and stretched.

"Good morning." Buckstar whispered to her. He sat up and licked her ear lovingly.

She blinked and smiled when she gazed into his deep green eyes. "I thought it was all a dream. You're _really _alive."

Buckstar flicked his tail on her back. "Don't worry. I'm still here to live another day with you."

Fernleaf smiled.

Dawntail licked him. "That's very sweet of you to say, Buckstar."

Buckstar shrugged. "Hey, what can I say? I'm just a sweet guy."

She chuckled and nuzzled him. "I know."

Fernleaf watched them and a pang of envy twisted in her stomach. She will never experience that sort of love between two hearts as long as she holds her rank as a Healer. She sighed.

Buckstar looked at her. "Fernleaf, I feel better today. I think I am well enough to see my pack again."

Dawntail flicked her ears. "Are you sure?" She asked him.

Buckstar licked the top of her head. "Absolutely." He had never felt more ready in his life. He looked at the Healer expectantly. "Well?"

Fernleaf shrugged. "I suppose…you know better than I do. Just be careful."

Buckstar smiled and nuzzled her affectionately. "Don't worry, I will."

Fernleaf nodded.

Dawntail flicked her fluffy tail over his broad right shoulder. "Let's go." She murmured impatiently.

"Tell me when you feel or see anything…_unusual_ again." Fernleaf whispered in his ear.

"I will." Buckstar promised and got up. He shook his light brown pelt and stretched luxuriously, sighing as his stiff muscles stretched comfortably.

"Hopefully this will all clear up soon, Buckstar."

"I hope so too."

Dawntail nudged his shoulder to the direction of the entrance. "Let's go!" She growled again.

"Dawn!" Buckstar rolled his eyes. "'Bye, Fernleaf." With a wave of his tail, he and Dawntail left the den.

Fernleaf sighed and started to sort her herbs once again.

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Buckstar took a deep breath as he stepped into the clearing.

No one was out yet. The Alpha watched the sun break the horizon as it rose steadily and sat down to gaze at it. Dawntail sat down next to him and began to wash his back. He gave an appreciative smile, feeling her smooth, yet firm strokes sift through his light brown fur.

He flicked his ears forward when he heard noises coming from the Pack Den. A wolf stumbled out, stretching his limbs.

It was Stormpaw. The apprentice took a second to spot the Alpha, and when he did; his ears flickered forward in excitement.

"Buckstar!" He cried.

"Oh brother." Dawntail muttered under her breath and stopped licking him.

"That's right." Buckstar chuckled as his brother ran towards him, his small paws flying.

"Oh, Buckstar! You're alive!" He buried his small muzzle into his chest.

Buckstar nuzzled him. "Did you miss me?" He asked.

"A lot!" Stormpaw whined.

"Did he miss me _a lot, _Dawntail?" Buckstar asked Dawntail, winking at her.

She winked back at him. "Well, I don't know…" She said loudly, "I heard he was glad to finally get rid of his annoying brother…"

Stormpaw glared at her and shook his head vigorously. "I didn't say that!" He put his paws on Buckstar's chest and looked up at him. "I really didn't, Buckstar, I _swear_ I didn't!"

"Hmm…I don't know about that…" The Alpha pretended to glare suspiciously at the apprentice.

Stormpaw's mouth opened in a gape. "I didn't! Would you believe me? Or the liar over here?" He flicked his tail to Dawntail, who looked genuinely offended.

"_Liar_? Who're you calling a liar, pup?" She snarled.

"Hey, hey! I'm just kidding, Stormpaw. Of course you missed me." He nuzzled the pup affectionately.

"I thought you were dead!" The light gray and dark gray wolf whined.

Buckstar licked the top of his head. "I'm glad I'm not." He said.

"Me too." Dawntail whispered.

Buckstar smiled and licked her too.

"Did you miss _me_?" Stormpaw quizzed him, his tail wagging back and forth.

Buckstar hummed thoughtfully. "Let's see…"

Stormpaw's smile wavered.

"Of course I missed you, bear-brain!" The light brown he-wolf teased, cuffing his brother playfully. "I missed_ everyone_."

Dawntail brushed her flank against him and licked his ear. That was enough to tell how much she missed him too.

Another wolf appeared in the entrance of the den.

Buckstar smiled. It was Lilyfrost!

The she-wolf looked the other way and started to groom herself. It seemed she had not noticed them yet.

"Lilyfrost!" Stormpaw called her. "Buckstar's here!"

Dawntail grumbled something, but it was too soft for even Buckstar's expert hearing to catch.

The silver she-wolf whipped her head towards them, and then her eyes lit up with recognition. "Buckstar!" She cried and started to bound towards him.

"Lilyfrost!" Buckstar greeted and left Dawntail's side to run to her.

Lilyfrost almost crashed into him and covered him in licks.

Dawntail slowly followed, her eyes narrowed at the sight.

"Whoa!" Buckstar laughed and separated from his friend.

To his surprise, the she-wolf had tears in her eyes.

"Lilyfrost, why are you-"

She suddenly cuffed him hard, hard enough for him to stumble into Dawntail.

"_Don't ever do that to me again_!" She hissed, her fur bristling.

"What did I-"

Again, he was interrupted. This time by Dawntail. "_What_ did you do to him?" She screeched, her claws digging into the earth.

Lilyfrost shifted her lilac-colored eyes from Buckstar to the light ginger she-wolf, then back to Buckstar. She let out a sob. "Don't ever leave me alone like that again!"

Dawntail tilted her head to the side in confusion. She opened her mouth to say something, but Buckstar stepped in front of her.

"Lilyfrost…what's wrong?" Instead of anger in his voice, there was sympathy.

Lilyfrost was breathing hard as she sniffed, the tears streaming down her face.

Stormpaw, who was watching the whole ordeal with stunned silence, ran into the Pack Den.

"You promised you would never leave me…" The silver she-wolf sobbed. "You…" She broke down, her wails echoing through the clearing.

Wolves started to appear outside the Pack Den.

"What's going on?" Hawkflight asked.

"It's too early!" Hollypaw groaned.

"Buckstar's out!" Stormpaw said excitedly.

The wolves began to talk eagerly to themselves as they ran to the Alpha.

Buckstar stopped them with a flick of his tail.

"What?" Stormpaw cried, almost knocking into Hollypaw, earning a good hard cuff from the apprentice.

Larksong shoved his way to the wolves. "Buckstar," He started, but Buckstar ignored him.

He was still staring at Lilyfrost, who was hunched over and sniveling.

The crowd of wolves sensed the drama that was unfolding and they kept silent, watching.

"Lilyfrost," Buckstar whispered softly and padded closer to her.

She looked up at him, her lilac-colored eyes red and tear-stained.

"Yes, I have made a promise to you, Lilyfrost. I will _never_ leave you alone. I swear upon my five lives that if anything were to happen to you, I would sacrifice myself over and over just to see your beautiful face and hear your sweet voice."

Dawntail gritted her teeth. Buckstar never said that to _her_ before. Jealousy crept into her ocean-blue eyes and spread into her blood like wildfire.

Lilyfrost kept silent. Her sniveling stopped as she stared intently at the Alpha.

Buckstar held a paw out to her. "Remember that day we met?" He asked.

Lilyfrost gave a small nod. She did not even bother to glance at his paw.

"Remember that promise I made to you?"

The she-wolf nodded again.

"I promised to you that I would never make you feel unwanted, lonely, or helpless. Remember when you called me your guardian angel?"

Lilyfrost gave a giggle. "My wolf with wings."

Buckstar smiled. "So far I have kept that promise to you, Lilyfrost. You out of all wolves know how I am with my promises."

Lilyfrost looked at his outstretched paw, and then looked up at his face, her eyes full of tears. "But you _died_! You _did_ break your promise!"

Buckstar closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them to gaze intensely into hers. "I never left your side. I have come back to be your guardian angel once again, Lilyfrost."

Lilyfrost smiled and placed her paw on his. "My wolf with wings. I knew you have never left me."

He winked at her. "I just scared you, that's all."

Lilyfrost cuffed him again, but it was friendly this time. "You've got that right, bear-brain! You almost gave me a heart-attack!"

"That wouldn't be good. I wouldn't be doing my job!"

Lilyfrost nuzzled him, dug her muzzle into his broad chest and sighed. "I've missed you, my guardian angel."

Buckstar chuckled. "_That's_ the Lilyfrost I know and love." He nuzzled her back and licked the top of her head.

The crowd erupted in cheers as they welcomed Buckstar back to RainPack to lead them once more as Alpha, hopefully for many more seasons to come.

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Dawntail slipped away from the crowd, a snarl formed on her face. She caught sight of Hawkflight and poked his shoulder with a clawed paw.

"Ow!" He growled, whirling around to face her. "What's going on?"

"We need to go." She replied angrily.

Hawkflight licked his clawed shoulder. "Now?"

Dawntail narrowed her eyes.

"Alright." Hawkflight sighed. "Lead the way."

The lithe she-wolf ran towards the entrance with the big he-wolf in tow, leaving the happy RainPack wolves behind them.

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**Hmm…Dawntail's up to something…R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	17. Chapter 16: Plans

**Whoa, you guys are getting confused! Dawntail is NOT leaving. (You can't get rid of her **_**that **_**easily XD) She's just going into the forest with Hawkflight for a little chat away from the others.**

**Here's the next chapter…hope you don't get confused!**

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Chapter 16- Plans

Dawntail and Hawkflight ran through the forest, the she-wolf in the lead.

She finally stopped at the edge of the river, panting.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here for?" Hawkflight growled, out of breath.

"We needed to talk." Dawntail assured him.

"About what?"

Dawntail looked at him for a moment, and then switched her gaze to the river. "About Buckstar."

Hawkflight's usual solemn face brightened. "Isn't it great that he's back?" He asked.

Dawntail just blinked as she watched the torrent of water splash in front of her.

Hawkflight's smile turned into a grimace. "What are you thinking about, Dawntail?" He growled.

She sighed. "I'm…concerned."

Hawkflight knew that phrase quite well to know that things are not going the way she planned.

"Lilyfrost is getting on my nerves. She is right in the middle of our relationship."

"Ours?" Hawkflight asked stupidly.

"No!" Dawntail hissed, her hackles rising. "Do you have bees in your brain? My and _Buckstar's _relationship!"

"Oh." Hawkflight grunted. "So…what about Lilyfrost?"

"She's irritating me." Dawntail said and she started to pace.

Hawkflight drew back. He knew things were about to get ugly.

"She doesn't understand that Buckstar loves me, not _her_."

"But didn't he just say-"

"I know!" She snapped. "He's got to chose between me…and _her_."

Hawkflight frowned. "Jealousy is not the answer. He could have been saying 'love' as if, you know, friendly 'love' or…" He then regretted ever opening his big mouth.

"_Jealousy_?" Dawntail screeched, digging her claws into the earth. "_I'm. Not. Jealous!_"

Hawkflight kept silent, his mouth formed in a scorn. Even a pup could plainly tell that hot jealously seethed under Dawntail's pretty coat.

"And after all I've done for that brute." She hissed.

Hawkflight abruptly stepped forward. "Don't you talk of the Alpha like that." He growled.

Dawntail snapped at him, causing him to draw back submissively again. "I can talk about him in any way I want to!"

Hawkflight glared at her.

Dawntail's ocean-blue eyes brimmed with contempt. "You…you are completely loyal to him, aren't you? What happened to the fearless loner I once knew?"

Hawkflight bared his teeth. "He gave me another chance at life. I wasn't happy with the life I was living…"

"You seemed perfectly fine and happy when you were with me." Dawntail said sharply.

"For a short while, yes…" He admitted. "But…"

"But what?!" Dawntail snarled.

Hawkflight let out his own snarl. "All we ever did was mate. We never really talked or-"

"What's wrong with that?" Dawntail argued.

"I felt like you only saw me for my body…like…like you _used_ me."

Dawntail flinched and her eyes shadowed over.

"You never saw me for who I really was…"

Dawntail suddenly lashed her tail. "And you wonder why we separated!" She muttered, rolling her eyes.

"No, actually," Hawkflight corrected her, "I don't wonder anymore. I'm…glad we separated."

Dawntail was offended. "What are you trying to say?" She growled.

Hawkflight chose to indirectly answer her question. "Whatever you're doing….if it's against Buckstar, count me out."

Dawntail smirked. "I'm not trying to hurt him…I'm his mate after all."

Hawkflight raised a brow.

"I'm trying to so do something…for his own good." She finished.

"His own good?" Hawkflight asked, surprised. "Our Alpha can take care of himself!"

Again, Dawntail smirked. "Tell that to him when he lay dead for two days."

Hawkflight was even more confused. "You shouldn't say that! For StarPack's sake, you're his _mate_!"

"StarPack?" She laughed. "Do you honestly believe in those fairy tales?"

Hawkflight was stunned. "Y-you don't believe in StarPack?"

Dawntail shrugged. "Of course not! Who's stupid enough to think dead wolves could save us?"

"I am." Hawkflight growled defiantly.

Dawntail rolled her eyes. "Enough of this. I am going to go _straight_ to the point. I want to get rid of her."

"Who, Lilyfrost?" Hawkflight sounded alarmed now.

"No…" Dawntail growled sarcastically. "Or course, bear-brain! Who else?"

"You want to get rid of her? Why?"

"I already told you! She's…in…my…way!" She spat out the words.

"What makes you think she's in your way?"

"Stop asking me stupid questions!" Dawntail snapped.

"Answer me."

She sighed and her shoulders sagged. "It's…something I heard her say…when Buckstar was dead."

Hawkflight perked his ears. "What did she say?"

"Exactly what I feared."

Hawkflight did not press her further. "I'm not helping you to murder another wolf."

Dawntail looked surprised. "I'm not going to kill her! I'm just going to…play with her for a little bit."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw how sensitive she is. It won't be hard to break her down…for good."

Hawkflight did not understand. "You mean…make her go crazy?"

"Exactly."

Hawkflight shook his head. "N-no. That's just cruel."

"Not as cruel as killing her."

"Can you just _tell_ her about all this?" Hawkflight asked.

Dawntail sighed and shook her pretty head. "Oh, sweet…dear Hawkflight. Have you learned _nothing_? I don't work that way. I have to teach her a lesson."

Hawkflight backed away to the direction of the camp. "I'm not working with you…not again."

Dawntail scoffed. "What do you mean by 'again'?"

"I still don't know what happened to Amber."

Dawntail's eyes glittered at some memory. "Oh…her. She…disappeared."

"I see." Hawkflight grunted disbelievingly. "She just looked at me and you were on her with tooth and claw."

"She looked at you _that way_." She stressed.

Hawkflight shook his head. "I just need to get out of here." He growled to himself and retreated a few more steps away from the she-wolf.

"Don't go." Dawntail pleaded.

Hawkflight narrowed his eyes and disappeared into the fronds. He flattened his ears to block out something the Dawntail yelled after him and he ran the rest of the way, his tail flying behind him.

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Buckstar separated himself from Lilyfrost, a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Buckstar." She whispered.

"For what?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

She sighed. The crowd started to gather around him, pushing them further apart.

Buckstar coughed loudly. "Alright, alright! I know you all are glad to see me, but give me some breathing room, please!"

The crowd slowly dispersed.

"I'm going to call a meeting." He said to himself and padded up to the HighRock, the pack following him closely. He leaped on top of it and looked down at them from above.

_It's no use using the traditional call, they're all already here. _He thought and cleared his throat.

"You all know what happened to me these past few days," He started. "I had…showed signs of being dead, and for a while I was so, but somehow I came back to life."

"It must be StarPack!" Hollypaw whispered. "It has to be!"

"I think so too." Buckstar told his apprentice. "But I'm not sure yet. I'm just glad I'm back to lead my pack once again."

"Long live RainPack!" Larksong suddenly shouted. "Long live Buckstar!"

"Long live Buckstar!" The crowd cheered, and Buckstar blushed, not used to all this attention.

His eyes shifted for a moment to the entrance of the camp, where Hawkflight made his way into the crowd, his eyes to the floor.

_Why did he go out?_ He then looked around. _And where's Dawntail?_ He thought suspiciously.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Dawntail slip into the camp, a snarl on her face.

"Buckstar?" Larksong asked, his voice standing out from the crowd.

The Alpha shook his head, snapping back to attention. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Are you sure you were well enough to leave?" Fernleaf asked, her soft voice contrasting against Larksong's.

"I have to lead my pack somehow, Fernleaf, and I'm certainly not going to lead it while I'm sitting on my rump all day doing nothing!"

The crowd laughed and Fernleaf shrugged. "It's your decision to make, not mine."

Buckstar then turned to Larksong. "You may have led this Pack Hunt, Larksong," He said, "but next full moon, expect me to be there."

"I'll count on that!" The Beta wolf answered.

Buckstar smiled and gave him a curt nod. He then turned to Hollypaw. "You need to get back to your training, young lady!" He said.

Her black ears shot up and her green eyes glowed. "Aw!" She pretended to groan, and everyone laughed.

"Tomorrow we'll start again. I still have to rest today, but Larksong can take you on a border patrol in the afternoon."

Hollypaw nodded and looked at her father, who nodded also.

"Any wolf who wants to go with her, see me!" The black and white wolf called out.

"This meeting is dismissed!" Buckstar concluded and jumped off the HighRock. The crowd dispersed, some went to see Larksong, and some retreated to the Pack Den to catch up on their rest.

Buckstar padded across the clearing, puffing out his chest. He was proud to lead such a dedicated pack and could not wish for a more perfect life than the one he leads now.

He looked around for his mate and caught sight of her near the fresh-kill pile, staring at the ground as though it would attack her at any second.

"Hi, Dawn." Buckstar called out to her and padded up to her side.

She jumped when he said her name. She looked up and him and smiled.

"A bit jumpy today?" He whispered in her ear as he rasped his tongue on her head.

Dawntail shook her head. "Just thinking." She answered.

"About what?" He asked. He forgot about her arrogance with Lilyfrost the moment her sweet scent drifted into his nostrils.

Dawntail gave a shy grin. "A bit nosy today?" She mimicked him.

Buckstar nuzzled her. "How about we go on a little…'walk' today?" He invited her, brushing his neck against hers.

"Ah," Dawntail chuckled. "How about the…um, _rest_?" She asked, raising a brow.

Buckstar licked her and pressed his flank against hers. "The rest can wait. I missed spending time with you."

Dawntail grinned and jumped up, almost making Buckstar fall over his paws.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" She said excitedly, lashing her tail.

Buckstar stood up and shook himself.

She rolled her eyes. "You're taking too long! I'll race you there!" Before he could say another word, she dashed out of the entrance, calling over her shoulder, "catch me if you can!"

Buckstar laughed and shot after her, his paws flying.

Lilyfrost appeared right after his tail disappeared through the entrance, a sad look coming to her face.

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**If you have any questions, please ask me! If not, please review!**

**-Evanessence**


	18. Chapter 17: Unexpected News

**One of my shorter chapters, but a lot happens though.**

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Chapter 17- Unexpected News

It was noon when they returned.

Buckstar padded alongside Dawntail, licking her lovingly between her ears.

She smiled and licked him back.

Stormpaw suddenly came up to Buckstar, his tail wagging and jaws full of meat.

"Hi, Stormpaw." The Alpha greeted his younger brother.

"Hey!" Stormpaw answered, his voice muffled.

"What are you going to do with that?" Dawntail asked, pointing to the meat with her muzzle. "Seems like you're not going to eat it."

"No, I'm going to give it to Fernleaf." He responded and dropped the meat on the floor, licking his bloody lips.

"That's excellent." Buckstar complimented him. "_That's_ what a good apprentice would do."

"So I'm a good apprentice?" Stormpaw asked eagerly, his amber eyes lit in excitement.

Buckstar looked at Dawntail and she shrugged.

"We'll see." He finally replied.

Stormpaw looked at bit disappointed as he looked down at the piece of meat.

"Isn't Lilyfrost going to train you today?" The Alpha asked.

"Na," Stormpaw replied hastily, "she's out walking. She told me to take a break today."

"And you are still doing apprentice duties?" Dawntail asked and her brows rose in amazement.

"Impressive." Buckstar _was_ impressed by his brother's sudden change of heart.

Stormpaw blushed in embarrassment.

"Are you sick today?" Dawntail asked him. It was just too good to be true.

Stormpaw looked concerned and looked at himself. "I-I hope not."

"Because that is so unlike you!" Buckstar laughed. "From now on your punishment is over. You deserve it."

Stormpaw grinned. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Buckstar!"

Buckstar chuckled. "Now go and give that to Fernleaf."

Stormpaw's eyes flickered for a moment, but it was gone as the apprentice picked up the meat and started to head towards the Healer's Den.

Buckstar turned his back on the apprentice and said to Dawntail, "Lilyfrost was out there?"

Dawntail's eyes shadowed. "We…didn't see her."

"I know. That's strange."

"Is the border patrol back yet?"

"It doesn't look like it."

"She probably went with them." Dawntail shrugged.

Buckstar nodded. "You're right."

"Aren't I always?" She chuckled.

Buckstar nuzzled her. "Have you gone to Fernleaf yet?" He asked.

She looked at him, her expression bewildered. "What for?"

Buckstar raised a brow. It seemed so…obvious for her to… especially after they just…"To see if you're…uh…" He started.

Dawntail froze. "Oh." She muttered. "No. Not yet."

"Then let's go." Buckstar felt excitement crawl up his spine. Maybe she really _was_ pregnant! Her scent had dramatically changed lately, adding to his suspicions.

"Do we_ really_ have to?" Dawntail complained. She seemed doubtful.

Buckstar was perplexed. "Yes…it's important. Isn't it?"

"I suppose." Dawntail sighed.

Buckstar started to pad to the Healer's Den with his mate alongside him. Fear-scent rippled off her pelt mixed with the strange, new scent. It was almost as if she did not…_want _to have pups. _She could have just let me know…_he thought grimly. However, he pushed that thought away. _Nevertheless, _I _want pups! _I_ want to be a father_!

They crossed the small strip of rock behind the waterfall and the couple slipped into the den.

Fernleaf was busy sorting though herbs that at first she did not notice them. It took Buckstar's light cough to get her attention.

"Oh, Buckstar!" She stammered and hurried over to him. She did not even glance at Dawntail as she examined the Alpha. "Is there anything wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Buckstar shook his head. "No, no, I'm perfectly fine. It's Dawntail."

Fernleaf abruptly turned to her, causing the she-wolf to jump in sheer nervousness.

"What's the matter?" She asked her.

"How embarrassing…" Dawntail mumbled angrily to herself.

"Go on." Buckstar nudged her shoulder reassuringly with his muzzle.

"I don't have all day." Fernleaf grumbled.

"He…" Dawntail started and glanced at Buckstar. "I'm sorry, _we _wanted to know if…" She stopped abruptly, not able to even say the word.

"She's pregnant." Buckstar finished for her, his eyes gleaming with pride.

Fernleaf was taken by surprise. She clearly was not expecting this question the way her jaw dropped. She just stood there, dumbfounded, her eyes wide as twin moons.

Dawntail stared at her paws and mumbled inaudibly.

"So…" Buckstar growled, a bit impatient. "Is she…or not?"

"I-I'll have to look at her." She moved to Dawntail's side. "You certainly have…the scent. Yes." She muttered.

Dawntail closed her eyes and sighed.

Buckstar watched anxiously as Fernleaf sniffed over his mate's body and told her to raise her tail so she could examine carefully.

"I need you to lie down." The Healer instructed the light ginger she-wolf, her voice small as she appeared from behind Dawntail's fluffy tail.

Dawntail reluctantly obliged, stretching her paws in front of her in a sphinx-like position.

"On your side, that way I can feel your stomach."

"There can't possibly be anything." Dawntail argued. "At least…I don't…_feel _anything."

"It doesn't matter, Dawntail." Fernleaf said. "I need to be really sure."

Dawntail sighed again as the Healer placed her dark gray paws on her ginger flank, then down to her white underbelly.

Buckstar flicked his ears impatiently. This was taking forever!

Fernleaf furrowed her brows as she poked and prodded several parts of Dawntail's flank. "Hmm…" She mumbled to herself.

Dawntail suddenly giggled. "Not too hard. You're tickling me!"

Fernleaf just shook her head and continued for a few more seconds, trying to ignore Dawntail's stifled laughter.

She finally let go of her flank with a heavy sigh.

Buckstar frowned at her solemn face and asked shakily, "s-so?"

Dawntail closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, bracing herself for the news.

"She's…pregnant."

"That's great!" Buckstar cried and licked Dawntail as she sat up, her body shaking with her shock. "Did you hear that?" He whispered into her ear, "We're going to be parents!"

Dawntail's mouth hung open. "H-huh? H-how could that happen?"

"Er…Dawn," Buckstar started, "We-"

"I know what we did!" She snapped at him. "But…it's…it's too early…we should have been able to mate a few more times…"

Fernleaf shook her head sadly. "Unless you want to lose the pups."

"No!" Buckstar cried.

"I can't…believe this…" Dawntail muttered angrily to herself.

Buckstar's eyebrows furrowed. He definitely was not expecting _this _reaction from his mate.

"It was still too early…" She growled.

"It must have been your…er…_time_." Fernleaf said, a bit matter-of-factly.

Dawntail let out a small growl and sighed. The Healer was right.

Buckstar nudged her shoulder. "You…you don't want pups?" He asked sadly.

The look on his face must have pierced a dagger though Dawntail's heart. She gritted her teeth. "It's not that I don't _want _pups…"

Buckstar's heart sank.

"It's just…uh…how do I say this? Uh…" She gulped. "I just don't feel like I'm ready to be a mother yet."

"I'm not ready to be a father too, Dawn. For StarPack's sake, I'm only a year old! However together, you and me, we'll get through this."

Dawntail sighed and her shoulders dropped.

Fernleaf watched them with sympathy in her dark green eyes. They _were_ too young to be parents.

"It's…unfortunate…" She said, breaking the heavy silence that blanked the couple.

"It's my entire fault." Dawntail grumbled, burying her muzzle into Buckstar's broad chest.

"No." Buckstar said firmly, though his voice shook. "If it's yours, it's mine too. Our naivety and love got in the way."

"Then no one's to blame." Dawntail muttered.

"Exactly."

Fernleaf cleared her throat, interrupting them. "Dawntail, it is wise to move to the Nursery as soon as possible."

"Already?" Dawntail whined. "I don't even _look _pregnant yet!"

"But in no time, you will. You'll see."

"We also have to protect the pups." Buckstar added.

"But…" Dawntail whispered, but Buckstar's lick to her muzzle cut her off.

"I promise I'll visit you everyday." Buckstar whispered in her ear.

"Is it enough?" Dawntail asked him sadly.

Buckstar sighed and brushed his tail along her back. "It'll have to do for now. I'm Alpha, remember?"

Dawntail sighed. "It just came…so fast. What do I do?"

Fernleaf nudged her towards the entrance of her den. "Stop worrying, relax and go to the Nursery. I'm sure Sparrowfeather would be glad to have company. Her pups' eyes should be opening in the next few days and she'll be more than happy to have extra paws to help around."

"Oh joy." Dawntail muttered, rolling her eyes.

"It'll turn out for the best, don't worry." Buckstar comforted her.

"I'm sure the pups will be beautiful, considering who their parents are." Fernleaf told them.

Buckstar smiled and licked her. "Thanks."

Fernleaf blushed. "Uh…n-no problem."

Dawntail narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"C'mon, let's go to the Nursery." Buckstar said to her and led her out of the den.

* * *

**What do you think of it? Please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	19. Chapter 18: Discovery

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Let's just hope Buckstar's pups have his personality instead of Dawntail's! I have the pups all planned out except for one name, so I guess you'll have to wait and see! XD After this chapter, read the note on the bottom, it's very important!

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Chapter 18- Discovery

Sparrowfeather was surprised to see Buckstar and Dawntail slip into the Nursery.

Her pups squirmed around her paws as the couple made their way to the pup-bringer.

"Yes?" She asked uncertainly, her eyes shifting across each of their faces.

Buckstar was about to respond, when Dawntail gave a small shriek. Crowpup had lodged his teeth on her fluffy tail and was tugging it as hard as he could.

"That's my tail, idiot!" Dawntail hissed and flicked out of Crowpup's mouth. The small black wolf just collapsed and sniffed around.

"I…was afraid of that." Sparrowfeather breathed.

"He's just a pup, Dawn." Buckstar said to her as she licked her tail.

"Doesn't matter." She growled. "He should know better."

"His eyes aren't even open." The Alpha argued.

The she-wolf just let out a 'hmph' and finished cleaning her tail.

"Why are you here?" Sparrowfeather asked as she tried to detangle Hazelpup and Owlpup, who were trying to play-fight just a little too roughly.

"I'm…" Dawntail was lost for words again.

"Pregnant?" Sparrowfeather answered, intrigued. "Really?"

Buckstar nodded, his eyes lit up with pride.

"You must be the father." Sparrowfeather concluded.

"How can you tell?" Dawntail mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Buckstar also rolled his eyes and flicked his tail over her shoulder.

Sparrowfeather's eyes clouded as if she knew something he did not.

Dawntail did not notice her strange change of mood as she said, "So, I have to stay here for how long?"

"Until your pups are born, of course." Sparrowfeather replied. "Then you have to take care of them and-"

Hazelpup suddenly leaped on Buckstar's back, making the Alpha jump in surprise. The small she-wolf dug her claws into his back, causing him to whimper softly.

"For being blind…they're sure lively!" Buckstar smiled wanly as the pup's claws dug a little too deep. He was suddenly reminded of Stormpaw and how he used to ride on his back all the time. He sighed as he reminisced.

"Oh, Hazelpup!" Sparrowfeather groaned and grabbed the light brown she-wolf's scruff. "She's the jumpy one you have to watch out for. Crowpup is the fierce one and Owlpup is more of the courageous type."

"Just like his father." Buckstar laughed.

Sparrowfeather smiled and set Hazelpup down, who quickly stumbled to where her siblings now slept.

"Finally." She whispered. "I've always wondered where all that energy comes from."

Dawntail coughed. "I guess I have to be staying here for a while then."

Sparrowfeather nodded.

Dawntail sighed.

"It's for the pups." Buckstar told her.

Dawntail shrugged. "Okay, then."

Sparrowfeather got up and shook her pelt. "That Stormpaw hasn't come by here to clean the bedding yet." She growled.

"He's off his punishment now." Buckstar chuckled. "You should have seen the relief on his face."

"I could see why." Dawntail muttered to herself.

Fortunately, the other two wolves did not hear.

"I'll clean the bedding, Sparrowfeather." Buckstar offered.

The pup-bringer smiled gratefully. "That…that would be very appreciated, Buckstar."

Buckstar nodded and with his paws, he gathered the dirty bedding until it was a ball.

Dawntail crinkled her nose in distaste. "Ew." She stuck her tongue out for effect.

Buckstar shrugged. "Someone's got to do it." He rolled the ball to the entrance of the Nursery. He waved his tail to the she-wolves. "See you later!" He called out to them before heading out to the clearing.

He nosed the ball to the very edge of the clearing, where he rolled it into a heather bush.

When he turned around, he saw Fernleaf padding up to the fresh-kill pile to get something to eat. _Didn't she_ just_ eat?_ He thought in confusion. _Fernleaf is not a big eater…_

He padded quickly to the Healer as she picked out a sparrow.

She looked up at him and blinked. "Back so soon? What happened now?"

Buckstar shook his head. "Just…a question."

Fernleaf sat down and started to pick at the sparrow half-heartily. "Go ahead."

"Didn't you just eat?" He asked.

Fernleaf blinked twice. She was clearly surprised. "Buckstar? What are you talking about?"

"Didn't Stormpaw just bring you a piece of prey?"

"Are you accusing me of getting more than my share?" She growled.

Buckstar shook his head vigorously. "N-no, I-"

"Stormpaw never went in my den."

"Really?" Did his brother_ lie_ to him?

Fernleaf looked at him strangely. "Are you sure you're okay? A lot of things happened for you today; maybe you should rest for a bit."

"I'm fine. Honestly." Buckstar growled, impatient. "So Stormpaw never came to your den today. At all."

Fernleaf shook her head. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Nevermind. Uh, thank you." He boiled with anger at Stormpaw. How could that little pup deceive him? The _Alpha_?

Fernleaf shrugged and bit into the sparrow.

Buckstar left her, his neck fur bristling. "I have to find that little liar." He growled to himself and looked around at the camp.

He could not find him anywhere. He then smiled as he got an idea._ He must be in his secret place. Oh, is he in for it now._ _It's _three _more_ _moons of cleaning up the bedding for him._

He padded up to the stair-like rocks that led to the top of the cliff. He sniffed curiously. _Stormpaw had been here all right._ He thought, and then he caught a whiff of prey. _He dragged it all the way up here. Why?_

He leaped on top of the first rock, holding his tail high to keep his balance. He then bunched his muscles to jump to the next ledge. _Now I finally get to see what drags him over here so often._

He continued to jump from ledge to ledge, trying not to look down and at the thundering waterfall next to him.

_This isn't that hard to do. No wonder Stormpaw got up here so fast._ He grunted as he landed on the second-to-last ledge.

He then leaped onto the edge of the cliff, breathing a sigh of relief. He then dared to look down. The camp looked so small from up there on the cliff. The border patrol had just returned and Buckstar chuckled. _They look like ants!_ He thought.

He spotted the HighRock. _It's not so high anymore!_

He was so busy admiring the camp that he did not notice the shape creeping up on him. A bark sounded from behind him and he jumped in surprise. He yelped as he suddenly lost his footing and he started to fall towards the pool below.

_StarPack help me!_ He thought desperately as he felt his weight shift dangerously outwards and his tail and hindquarters disappeared over the cliff edge. His hind claws dug into the rock, making his rump go awkwardly into the air.

He yelped again as his hind claws gave way and he started to slide down, feeling the sharp rocks jab against his soft underbelly. His front paws frantically scraped the ground in front of him as he desperately tried to heave himself up.

"Help me!" He cried.

"Buckstar?" He heard Stormpaw call. "It's Buckstar! Go get him! He's falling!"

He suddenly felt teeth dig into his scruff and a powerful force pull upwards. He forced his claws to dig into the rock painfully as he heaved himself up, the unknown wolf propelling him forwards.

When he was on solid ground again, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at his savior. He gasped at what he saw.

It…it looked just like him! This wolf had his same coat color…same muscular build…same broad muzzle and shoulders…

The wolf looked very surprised too. His eyes were sage-colored instead of Buckstar's hunter green.

"W-who are you?" Buckstar stammered.

The strange he-wolf blinked and looked back over his shoulder.

Buckstar shifted his gaze from the he-wolf to what was behind him. Stormpaw came out, his ears flattened and his tail drooping.

"Stormpaw!" Buckstar growled.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He cried.

Buckstar opened his mouth to say something else, but a black shape out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. A large black he-wolf that stepped into his view, ice blue eyes narrowed.

"Blackfrost, this is the Alpha, right?" The wolf who saved Buckstar asked.

The black wolf looked at him, scrutinizing Buckstar's shabby appearance. "Hm. I guess so."

"He is." Stormpaw said.

"Do you know these wolves?" Buckstar asked him, staring at the strange he-wolf's sage-colored eyes.

"Yes." At least he was being honest.

"Back away from him, Sagetail." Blackfrost growled and Buckstar's look-alike stepped away from him.

"What's going on here?" The Alpha asked.

Blackfrost's icy gaze pierced through him like real ice. "Your friend, Stormpaw, isn't it?"

Stormpaw nodded, even though Blackfrost did not look back to see if that was his real name or not. He simply did not care.

"He's been feeding us ever since…"

Buckstar gasped and glanced at Stormpaw. The apprentice was looking away in shame.

"Ever since…when, Sagetail? I can't remember anymore."

Sagetail blinked. "A week, I think."

"Yes, whatever. We are considering joining your pack-"

"Wait." Buckstar raised a paw to stop Blackfrost. "You were here…for a week?"

"They needed shelter." Stormpaw whined.

Buckstar shot him a death glare that shut him up right away.

"Yes." Blackfrost answered his question. "We're loners."

"Stormpaw…uh…stumbled upon us." Sagetail growled.

Buckstar shivered at the similarities this wolf had to him. Sagetail almost had the same deep _voice_ that he had.

"I wouldn't call it 'stumbling', Sagetail." Blackfrost sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever." The brown he-wolf blinked and focused his sage-colored eyes at Buckstar, making the Alpha shiver again.

"Are there…more of you?" Buckstar asked.

Blackfrost nodded. "A she-wolf and a couple of apprentices."

"Apprentices? Wait, you're a pack?"

The black wolf's eyes shadowed. "Not a pack. We come from different packs."

"Huh?" Buckstar was confused.

"Our packs were separated."

_Just as Fernleaf's was…_Buckstar thought grimly.

"We need a place to stay." Sagetail said and touched Blackfrost's shoulder with the tip of his tail. "I'll get the others."

"You do that." Blackfrost told him.

Buckstar turned to Stormpaw. "Go back down." He growled to him angrily. "We'll talk about this later."

Stormpaw cast his eyes on the floor below him and began to leap down the ledges.

Blackfrost stared at him for the longest time before speaking, "You know, you don't look much like an Alpha."

Buckstar raised a brow. "You don't look like it yourself." He growled back.

"I'm not an Alpha." Blackfrost said shortly. "I was a Beta."

"Oh." Buckstar muttered.

"This is the only pack we could find. All of the other ones are destroyed or separated."

"Why?" The Alpha asked him.

Blackfrost's ice blue eyes shone as if he was angry, but then it died. "A…fearsome and savage pack attacked us."

"What pack?" He keeps hearing about this 'pack' and he does not even know its name.

"We don't like to talk about it." Blackfrost mumbled.

Buckstar kept silent, frustrated. He has to find out what the name of this 'pack' was!

Sagetail came back, followed by three wolves. One was a golden she-wolf with bright blue eyes and the other two were apprentices, one light brown and the other a fiery russet-red color with dark blue eyes.

The light brown apprentice looked at Buckstar curiously. "He's an Alpha?" She asked.

Sagetail nodded. "Buckstar, this is Twilightpaw. She was a Healer apprentice before her pack separated."

Twilightpaw bowed her head. "My pack was LeafPack."

"LeafPack?" Buckstar asked. He had never heard of that name before.

"Yes. It's unheard of now." The apprentice muttered.

"I'm…sorry." Buckstar bowed his head sympathetically.

"I just want another pack to stay in, I feel so alone." She whined and the russet-red apprentice comforted her with murmured words.

Buckstar shifted his eyes to the other apprentice. "Who are you?"

The apprentice turned his head to him, dark blue eyes glittering. He raised his head and said, "I'm Redpaw of SilverPack. They…separated too."

"I belonged to that pack also." Sagetail added. "Redpaw is my apprentice."

Buckstar nodded and shifted his eyes to the she-wolf. She looked at her paws as Blackfrost sat next to her, gently licking her ears.

"Why doesn't she talk?" The Alpha asked.

"She's mute." Blackfrost answered, looking up at him.

Buckstar tipped his head to the side in confusion. "You mean…she _can't _talk?"

Blackfrost nodded. "She had an unfortunate accident with a bear when she was just a pup."

The she-wolf raised her head.

Buckstar gasped at what he saw. Three ugly scars ran down her throat, almost as if her throat had been torn out mercilessly and put back together haphazardly.

"Her name is Silentheart." Blackfrost introduced her, and she nuzzled him.

"She's your mate?" Buckstar asked.

The black he-wolf nodded his head. "She's pregnant with my pups."

That's when Buckstar noticed the she-wolf's plump stomach. Silentheart indeed was pregnant, and looked like she was well into her pregnancy.

"What pack were you from?" Buckstar asked him.

"NightPack." He replied shortly.

Buckstar flicked his ears. There had been many packs that had been separated! What _is_ this 'pack'?

"I'm hungry!" Twilightpaw said softly.

Blackfrost turned to her. "You already had your share of meat! Be quiet."

Twilightpaw whimpered and looked down at her paws.

Every wolf had their ribs poking out of their fur. _They must be starved_! Buckstar thought worriedly.

"Come down to the camp. I'm sure RainPack could spare some prey." Buckstar offered.

Blackfrost looked at him graciously. "Thank you!" He said happily and licked Silentheart. "We're finally going to have a good meal!"

"Yes, my stomach hasn't been full in…I don't know how long!" Redpaw chirped.

"Let's go." Sagetail said.

Buckstar turned around and faced the cliff edge again. He gulped down his fears and started to climb down, the wolves following his path.

He sighed in relief as his four paws touched the camp floor again. Sagetail landed next to him, sniffing cautiously.

Buckstar had to move out of the way for the apprentices to jump down. Blackfrost guided Silentheart down more slowly and carefully, but eventually making it all the way.

Several RainPack wolves looked at them curiously.

"Come." Buckstar ordered them and led them to the fresh-kill pile, where Larksong and Sparrowfeather were sharing a fox.

Their pelts bristled at the sight of the new wolves and they backed away when the wolves approached.

"They were on top of the cliff." Buckstar told them.

"On top of the cliff?" Larksong echoed, looking up at the precarious ledge.

The new wolves each grabbed something from the pile and began to eat it ravenously.

"They are from different packs." Buckstar told Larksong. "They're looking for a home."

"Every wolf is looking for a home now." Sparrowfeather commented as she saw Silentheart gnaw at a sparrow bone.

"They have been attacked by a 'pack'. I'm not sure what it is yet."

"We have to keep a sharp lookout for it, then." Larksong growled.

Sparrowfeather looked at Buckstar again. "Was it them what Stormpaw was fussing about when he went up that cliff?"

"Apparently." Buckstar growled. "We have to let them stay. They look starved."

Larksong nodded.

"And this one's pregnant." Sparrowfeather said, flicking her tail at Silentheart. "She needs a proper Nursery."

"She can stay there until we come to a final decision." Buckstar said.

"Alright. Dawntail and I won't be the only ones now."

Buckstar nodded as he watched the golden she-wolf lick her lips and stand up.

Blackfrost blinked at Sparrowfeather. "You'll take her in, yes?" He asked.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Sparrowfeather muttered.

"She will." Buckstar confirmed it.

Blackfrost gave him a curt nod and nudged Silentheart. "Go with her. She'll show you a good place to stay."

Silentheart nodded and followed Sparrowfeather into the nursery.

"Do you have an Apprentice's Den?" Redpaw asked once he finished his meal.

"A what?" Buckfrost was bewildered.

"It's where the apprentices sleep, of course." Twilightpaw said, her head cocked to the side.

"No, we have a Pack Den."

"Pack Den?" Sagetail blinked. "Don't you have a Warrior's Den?"

"No…" Buckstar said. _They must do things differently in their packs…_he thought.

"So you everyone…together?" Redpaw asked.

"Besides the pup-bringers, I see." Blackfrost pointed out.

"We don't have _everyone _together." Larksong corrected him. "Fernleaf, our Healer, has a den over by the waterfall."

"Oh yes!" Twilightpaw trilled. "I've seen her coming in and out a few times!"

"So this could be passed off as a pack." Blackfrost said.

"_Passed off_?" Buckstar asked, offended. "No, we're a real pack. RainPack, that is.'

"RainPack, huh?" Twilightpaw murmured. "It reminds me of someone…"

Buckstar perked his ears. _Could Twilightpaw possibly know about Rainstripe?_ He thought excitedly.

"But they're all gone now." She sighed.

"Why don't you meet Fernleaf?" Sagetail asked the Healer apprentice.

"She's nice enough." Larksong added.

Twilightpaw seemed unsure. "Uh…okay."

"She'll be glad to have extra paws to help around." Buckstar said to her as she padded away.

The light brown she-wolf looked over her shoulder at him, blinked her midnight blue eyes, and then continued on her way.

"Are there any other apprentices other than Stormpaw here?" Redpaw asked eagerly.

"Hollypaw." Buckstar replied, thinking of his apprentice. "She's probably in the Pack Den sleeping."

Redpaw laughed. "Lazy bum! Sagetail wouldn't let me sleep the day away!"

"She just went on a very early border patrol." Buckstar explained.

Redpaw flicked his tail. "I'll go and meet her." He said and bounded across the clearing and into the Pack Den.

A silence came upon the wolves.

Blackfrost spoke. "So, can we join RainPack?"

Sagetail shot him a look. "Isn't that too rash? We need to prove our loyalty first."

Buckstar nodded. "Right."

Larksong turned to the Alpha. "I'll accompany them to show them the territory if you want."

Buckstar nodded. "That would be great."

Sagetail gave him a curt nod of thanks along with Blackfrost.

"Follow me." The RainPack Beta wolf ordered and led the wolves out of the camp.

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**I'm going to start a little poll in my profile on which you all, as my readers, get to pick which name is better for one of Buckstar's pups (a girl). The choices are, Snow-, Robin-, Brook-, Ginger- or Raven- (the appearance doesn't matter in this, that's up for me to decide! Just vote on which is a cooler name. I have something special planned for this pup, so vote wisely!)**

**Pleases R&R on this chapter and your thoughts on our new little friends, Sagetail, Blackfrost, Silentheart, Redpaw and Twilightpaw!**

**-Evanessence**


	20. Chapter 19: Friends and Enemies

**Thanks, Cinnamonpool, I'm glad you like it! **

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Chapter 19- Friends and Enemies

Buckstar stood alone in the middle of the clearing, watching the disappearing tails of Larksong, Blackfrost and Sagetail.

He suddenly felt a nudge on his shoulder and he turned around to see Dawntail, a disgruntled look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Buckstar asked her worriedly.

"The new she-wolf won't tell us her name!" She growled.

Buckstar could not stop himself from chuckling.

She looked shocked. "Why are you laughing? Isn't that suspicious?"

"She's mute, Dawn." He explained.

His mate looked puzzled. "Mute?"

Buckstar licked her muzzle. "She can't talk."

She gasped. "Why?" She asked, concerned. "Is something wrong with her?"

"When she was a pup, she was attacked by a bear." Buckstar replied, recalling Blackfrost's story.

His mate's face was full of sorrow. "Oh…" She whispered.

"Her name is Silentheart."

"Ironic." Dawntail said. "_Silent_heart."

"I know." Buckstar shivered. "I guess it happened even before she was named."

"Poor thing." Dawntail murmured sympathetically.

"I bet Blackfrost takes good care of her." Buckstar said.

"Who?"

"Oh…her mate." Buckstar told her. "He's one of the new wolves too."

"Where are they now?" His mate asked.

"Larksong's showing them the territory."

Dawntail nodded.

Suddenly, Hollypaw burst into the scene, her black fur bristling and green eyes blazing.

"What's going on?" Dawntail asked her quickly.

"T-there's a really weird wolf in the Pack Den! I don't know w-who he is, but h-he scared the fur o-out of me!"

Buckstar blinked in confusion for a second. He then remembered that Redpaw had come in the Pack Den to meet her.

The apprentice himself ran out of the Pack Den, calling out Hollypaw's name.

"See? H-he even knows my name!"

"His name is Redpaw." Buckstar sighed.

The scared apprentice blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Some wolves come to RainPack today, and they want to join our pack." The Alpha said.

"Really?" Hollypaw sighed. "Just great. More wolves like Stormpaw!"

"Hopefully not!" Dawntail muttered.

"No, no." Buckstar reassured them. "Not like Stormpaw."

"Good." Hollypaw breathed.

"There you are!" Redpaw spotted the black apprentice and sprinted to her side.

"Couldn't you be...uh…a little more _subtle_?" She hissed.

"Oh, did I scare you?" Redpaw asked, his brows furrowed.

"Of course not!" Hollypaw said sarcastically.

"Okay then. No worries."

Hollypaw frowned.

"I'm Redpaw!" The russet-red apprentice said happily, waving his tail. "Yours must be Hollypaw, right?"

Buckstar watched his apprentice as she nodded.

Redpaw smiled. "What kind of training do you do with your mentor?" He asked her.

Dawntail abruptly interrupted their conversation. "Uh, sorry to break in, but can you take this somewhere else?" She asked, her voice the least polite.

"I'm doing hunting crouches." Hollypaw answered promptly, ignoring Dawntail.

The she-wolf let out a growl, but stopped when Buckstar wrapped his tail around her shoulders.

"Really?" Redpaw sounded disappointed. "_I'm _doing battle-training."

Hollypaw looked shocked. "Already?"

Redpaw nodded, puffing his chest proudly. "Sagetail said I'm the best apprentice he's ever had!"

Hollypaw scowled.

"Why don't you come and meet Twilightpaw?" Redpaw asked her. "She's really nice…at least most of the time."

"Don't tell me…she's close to being a warrior?" Hollypaw murmured.

Redpaw looked confused. "No…she's a Healer apprentice."

"Oh." The black apprentice was surprised.

"She's with Fernleaf. Let's go!" Redpaw said with a wave of his tail.

Hollypaw shrugged and followed the apprentice as he made his way to the Healer's Den.

"They're all the same." Dawntail muttered after they disappeared from his line of sight. "Apprentices never change, even in different packs."

Buckstar licked her. "Don't be so sure about that. They change all the time." He then frowned. He is disappointed with Stormpaw, who had never changed at all.

"I guess I'll be heading back, then." Dawntail said and brushed her flank against his. "Sparrowfeather will start missing me."

"Don't forget Silentheart too." The Alpha added.

His mate gave a small shrug. "Sure." She then left him.

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Who are you?"

"I'm Twilightpaw…um…"

Fernleaf looked suspiciously at the small she-wolf as she stood outside of her den, her small shape outlined by the waterfall.

"Can I come in?" Twilightpaw asked. "I'm getting a bit wet."

Fernleaf blinked and nodded. "Where did you come from?" She quizzed her as she stepped inside, shaking her fur.

Twilightpaw looked uncomfortable as she sat down on the mossy floor. "From the top of the c-cliff." She stammered.

"The cliff?" Fernleaf asked. Then something clicked in her mind. _Of course! Stormpaw's 'secret place'! How could a wolf so small like her get up there? _She thought.

"My pack got…s-separated." The small she-wolf murmured.

Fernleaf felt a stab of pity for her. "Oh no." She whispered. "Did they attack your pack too?"

Twilightpaw nodded. "They took my whole family." She said her voice barely audible.

"Does Buckstar know about you?" The Healer asked her.

The light brown she-wolf blinked her midnight blue eyes. "The Alpha? Yes, he knows we're here."

"We're? There's more of you?" Fernleaf asked.

Twilightpaw nodded.

"They must have attacked every single pack…"

"Except this one." Twilightpaw added.

Fernleaf's mind whirled. _We might be the next ones!_ _Oh, StarPack, I don't want to live through that pain again! _She thought desperately.

"You're running out of coltsfoot." Twilightpaw suddenly said.

"Excuse me?" Fernleaf asked instinctively.

"I said, you're out of coltsfoot. I can see you don't have that many." Twilightpaw repeated slowly.

"I know that, I'm not deaf!" Fernleaf snapped. "Wait, how did_ you_ know that?"

"I…I am a Healer apprentice." The she-wolf replied.

Fernleaf blinked, shocked. _Just as I was…_she thought, _when they attacked…_

"My mentor was hard of hearing." Twilightpaw abruptly said. "I needed to repeat everything twice when I said something to him."

Fernleaf chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not old enough to be _that _deaf."

"I thought so." The apprentice concluded.

Fernleaf looked at her pile of coltsfoot, and found that she indeed was running very low.

"Coltsfoot is very important to have handy." Twilightpaw said matter-of-factly. "You need it to cure aches. Wolves need that quite often in this type of terrain."

Fernleaf nodded. "You're very smart." She complimented her.

The Healer apprentice blushed. "My mentor never said that to me."

Fernleaf flicked her tail over her ear. "How wrong he was to say that."

"T-thanks."

The RainPack Healer smiled. She needed an apprentice soon if anything were to happen to her, StarPack forbid. Maybe Twilightpaw was the one she was looking for.

Before anyone could say anything else, two wolves burst into the den. One was Hollypaw, and the other was a he-wolf Fernleaf could not recognize.

The russet-red he-wolf looked unusually cheerful. "This is Twilightpaw." He said to Hollypaw.

The Healer apprentice bowed her head awkwardly.

"Are you…into herbs or something?" Hollypaw asked, a brow raised.

"Into herbs?" Twilightpaw looked bewildered.

Fernleaf chuckled. "What she_ means_ is, is that if you're a Healer or not."

"Oh, yes. Yes I am." Twilightpaw blushed.

Hollypaw blinked. "So you're like Fernleaf?"

"That's right." Fernleaf answered for the small apprentice.

"You could be her new mentor!" The russet-red wolf said excitedly, turning to Twilightpaw.

The apprentice looked lost for words, but luckily, Fernleaf saved her.

"I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name…"

The he-wolf was about to open his mouth, but Hollypaw cut in.

"Mr. Annoying and Stupid."

Even Twilightpaw stifled a laugh.

"That's not my name!" The russet-red apprentice whined.

"That's not very nice, Hollypaw." Fernleaf growled to her.

Hollypaw shrugged. "At least that's what I think it should be. Suits you very well."

"It's Redpaw." Twilightpaw said. "His name is Redpaw."

Redpaw nodded. "That's it. It's not what _Hollypaw_ said. The bear-brain that she is, I'm surprised she could even think of that."

"What did you just call me, piece of fox-dung?" Hollypaw hissed.

Redpaw bared his teeth. "Bear-brain!"

"Fox-dung!"

"Bear-brain!"

"Fox-dung!"

"Bear-"

"Enough!" Fernleaf growled, putting a paw in between the two apprentices. "I will not tolerate this is my den!"

"Fine." Hollypaw growled and sat down next to the RainPack Healer, her green eyes still blazing wildly.

Redpaw stuck his tongue out at her and sat next to Twilightpaw, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"They get along quite well, don't they?" The Healer murmured sarcastically, making Twilightpaw giggle.

"It's not my fault he's so stupid." Hollypaw said.

Redpaw shot daggers at her. "Oh yeah? Well-"

"I said _enough_!" Fernleaf hissed. "Get out of my den, now!"

Hollypaw raised her head in defiance. "Fine." She growled and bounded out of the den.

Redpaw watched her go, his dark blue eyes following her black silhouette.

"She said go, Redpaw. Are you deaf?" Twilightpaw growled.

Redpaw snapped back at attention. "Oh, sorry. Yes, I'll go." He left, his tail dropping and head low.

Fernleaf turned to Twilightpaw, her green eyes twinkling. "I think you're going to fit in just fine here."

* * *

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**-Evanessence**


	21. Chapter 20: The Darkness Attacks

**Wow, chapter 20!**

* * *

Chapter 20- The Darkness Attacks

_A few days later…_

Buckstar was on top of the HighRock, watching the crowd of RainPack wolves and the loners he had found just a few days before. He had chosen to let them join, considering they have nowhere else to go and how desperately RainPack needs more wolves. He had let them stay in the RainPack camp for the time being, but some RainPack wolves are starting to get suspicious…

He blinked at the sunset and stood up, causing a quiet to settle on the wolves.

"Alright, Sagetail, you first." He called out and watched at the light brown wolf leaped on the rock with him.

At once, the gasps were heard.

"Sagetail…is he?"

"They look like twins!"

"They have to be brothers, they just have to!"

Sagetail looked at him and the Alpha stared back at him. There _was_ an uncanny resemblance between the two, and Buckstar was starting to get his suspicions...but now was the time to introduce new wolves into RainPack.

"Sagetail, your heart has always been with your birth pack, but now it is time to move your loyalties to RainPack. Do you swear loyalty and commit your life to RainPack and all its wolves?"

Sagetail bowed his broad head and murmured, "I do."

"Then by the powers granted to me by StarPack, I declare you a RainPack wolf. May your loyalty and heart stay with us always." Buckstar touched the wolf's head and Sagetail licked him back.

"Sagetail, Sagetail!" The crowd called it as through the he-wolf was getting his warrior name. He jumped off, landing softly on his four paws before joining the crowd again.

"Redpaw and Twilight-" Buckstar started to say, but Fernleaf cut him short.

"I'll do her initiation ceremony myself." She said quickly. "Healers are different than regular apprentices."

The Healer apprentice herself seemed nervous as she looked up at her new mentor.

Fernleaf whispered something in her ear that made her tense muscles relax.

Buckstar nodded understandingly. "Okay, then. Redpaw and Silentheart."

The two wolves jumped on the HighRock.

Redpaw's fur bristled with excitement, angrily contrasting Silentheart's calm demeanor.

"Redpaw and Silentheart, your hearts have always been with your birth pack, but now it is time to move your loyalties to RainPack. Do you both swear loyalty and commit your life to RainPack and all its wolves?"

Both wolves bowed their heads at the same time.

"I do." Redpaw said.

Silentheart of course stayed silent, but she flicked her tail in response.

Buckstar nodded in approval. "Then by the powers granted to me by StarPack, I declare you both RainPack wolves. May your loyalty and hearts stay with us always."

He licked both of the wolves on the top of their heads and they licked both his shoulders in return.

Redpaw and Silentheart jumped off, suddenly being swarmed by the RainPack wolves with 'welcomes' and 'congratulations'.

"Blackfrost." The Alpha called the black wolf.

He flicked his icy gaze at him and calmly trotted up the HighRock, his head lifted proudly as if he was the only one there.

Buckstar watched as the he-wolf settled himself in front of him.

"Go on." He said, flicking his tail.

"I don't need your permission to start." Buckstar growled.

Blackfrost narrowed his eyes, making him look…dangerous. Buckstar gulped and began,

"Blackfrost, your heart has always been with your birth pack, but now it is time to move your loyalties to RainPack. Do you swear loyalty and commit your life to RainPack and all its wolves?"

Blackfrost's menacing glare turned downwards as he bowed his head. "I do." He muttered, his voice low and deep.

Buckstar shifted uneasily and cleared his throat. "Then by the powers granted to me by StarPack, I declare you a RainPack wolf. May your loyalty and heart stay with us always."

Before he could touch the wolf's shoulder as the ceremony called for, Blackfrost jumped into the crowd chanting his name, his head and tail high.

Buckstar sighed and dug his claws into the rock. _I'd have to keep my eyes on that one._ He thought. _I'll tell Larksong to do so too._

Suddenly, he felt the icy claws rake down his spine and he howled in agony.

Wolves looked up at him in bewilderment as the Alpha shook in pain.

Buckstar gritted his teeth and his fur started to bristle. His pupils dilated and his claws scraped the rock as he flexed them, making an eerie noise.

"What's wrong with him?" Dawntail wailed.

"He's having another attack!" Fernleaf cried. "Someone get him out of there!"

The Alpha's eyes unexpectedly filled with a deep, blood red color and he moaned and writhed on the HighRock. The world suddenly got darker, making it harder to see around.

The wolves stared at him, horrified. No one moved a muscle.

"Someone go get him!" Fernleaf screamed. "Nevermind, I'll get him myself!"

She jumped on the HighRock, her claws scrambling against the hard rock as she climbed higher and higher. When she arrived at the top, she saw Buckstar muttering unintelligible words and clawing at the ground.

She dared to look down. The wolves were transfixed on the spot, as if the whole scene awed them.

Fernleaf gritted her teeth and grabbed his scruff, but suddenly, it slipped out of her mouth like liquid.

"Wha-" She suddenly felt something barrel into her side, almost throwing her off the rock. As she scrabbled to get a proper grip, she saw Buckstar breathing down on her, his white fangs gleaming menacingly.

"Buckstar!" She cried. "Help me!"

The Alpha did not move a muscle. He just kept glaring at her as if she was a piece of prey, licking his lips hungrily.

"Help me!" She pleaded desperately as her front paws started to slip off the rock. She climbed up and roared in pain as Buckstar slammed his big, front paws on her fragile ones. She slipped once again, her hind legs dangling off the rock.

"These paws heal." The Alpha growled, his voice sounding metallic and unnatural. He dug his claws into her soft forepaws, making her scream in agony. "I don't like it."

She let out a howl and tried to bite at Buckstar's crushing paws.

"The Darkness…" Buckstar hissed, his red eyes flashing. "Cannot be…healed…"

Fernleaf screamed once more. "What's wrong with you?" She spat.

Buckstar suddenly snarled. "You…cannot…be…"

Fernleaf shrieked as Buckstar's paws lost some of their grip, causing her to drop lower unto the ground. She gave her last bit of effort to bite one of his forepaws, her teeth sinking into his flesh.

"Ugh," Buckstar…no, this _creature_, grunted and lunged at the nape of her neck, closing his jaws painfully.

Fernleaf howled as the pain seared through her body. Buckstar's jaws closed around her tighter and surprisingly, he dragged her forwards back onto the rock.

His eyes flashed their normal hunter green for a second. His real voice suddenly screamed, "It's taking over! Uh!" Buckstar shuddered and his voice suddenly lowered into the strange metallic monotone voice again.

"Buckstar!" Fernleaf screeched, but crouched in fear as his eyes flashed red again.

"You…cannot…be…saved." He growled and suddenly, a spasm hit his body, causing him to hunch over, his paws splayed over the rock. He coughed, and looked at Fernleaf again with pure hatred in his gleaming red eyes, "from…me…"

Fernleaf watched in horror as Buckstar slipped into unconsciousness. Her paws started to bleed where his sharp claws cut through flesh. She whimpered in pain as the world got light again, and background noise returned to her ears.

"He attacked Fernleaf!" One of the wolves cried.

The Healer looked at the unconscious Alpha, her heart aching with betrayal and hurt.

"I saw the whole thing, Fernleaf!" Stormpaw growled from below. "My brother attacked you for no reason!"

Fernleaf suddenly looked down below at the wolves. "And you didn't do anything?" She hissed accusingly.

"We couldn't!" Lilyfrost cried. "It felt like…we were glued to the ground!"

"Where is he now?" Sagetail hissed. "I can't see him!"

Fernleaf looked back at Buckstar's body. "He's…"

"Again?!" Lilyfrost wailed, her lilac-colored eyes full of horror.

The Healer rushed to the Alpha's side, and she put a bloodstained paw on his bloody front paw. To her surprise, she felt a light pounding. He was still there! Faintly, but there!

"He's not dead!" She cried.

"Kill him, then!" Blackfrost growled. "He tried to kill you!"

Fernleaf looked at Buckstar's handsome face. He did not look evil or bloodthirsty anymore. He looked…peaceful.

"I…can't." She choked, tears running down her face.

"I'll do it then!" Blackfrost growled and got up.

"No!" Lilyfrost cried and suddenly barreled into him, causing the wolf to give a loud 'oof!'

Dawntail jumped on the HighRock, her paws almost slipping. She ran to Fernleaf's side and looked at Buckstar. For once in her life, there was fear in her eyes.

"Get off me, you big oaf!" Blackfrost hissed under Lilyfrost's weight.

"I'm not going to let you kill him!" She cried, her eyes blazing.

Before any other wolf could say anything, Fernleaf let out a loud howl.

"Listen!"

The wolves became quiet, surprised to hear her usually soft voice loud and desperate.

"He….he didn't attack me on his own free will!"

"What?" Dawntail asked, her voice shaking.

"He was possessed by…" Fernleaf took a deep breath. "The Darkness!"

At this, Buckstar stirred. His eyes back to their normal dark green.

Dawntail screamed and backed away, her pelt bristling in fear.

"The Darkness?" Lilyfrost cried, finally letting go of Blackfrost.

"What the-" The black wolf started.

"Get away from me!" Dawntail hissed as Buckstar struggled to get up.

"Stay down." Fernleaf told him, and even in his confused state, he did as he was told.

"You…_monster_!" His mate cried, her tail between her legs.

"M…monster?" Buckstar asked groggily.

"You cruel, ugly, evil," Dawntail screeched, "ungrateful son of a-"

"Enough!" Fernleaf had to stop her blood-curdling insults. "It's not his fault!"

"You're defending him, Fernleaf?" Larksong had climbed up the HighRock. "For StarPack's sake, he attacked you! What kind of Alpha is that?"

"He's a good Alpha!" Fernleaf growled. "The Darkness had controlled him."

"What is this Darkness you always talk about?" The Beta wolf asked.

"Something Buckstar mentioned to me a few days ago." Fernleaf shivered.

"The…Darkness." Buckstar rasped. "It…got my…"

"I know. Shush." Fernleaf whispered to him.

"It still doesn't prove anything to me." Dawntail hissed. "What's wrong with my mate?"

"Something even StarPack can't control, Dawntail." Fernleaf answered grimly.

Larksong looked grave. "This is not good. We cannot have our Alpha like this."

Buckstar shook his head, but the fogginess was still in his brain.

"What do you mean?" Fernleaf was worried Larksong might do something…dreadful to Buckstar.

Before Larksong can reply, Buckstar gave a bark, causing everyone to jump.

"What's going on up there?" Fernleaf heard Stormpaw mutter bitterly.

"What, Buckstar?" Dawntail asked Buckstar angrily, suspicion still clouding her voice.

"The DreamPool!" He growled. "I need to…go to…the DreamPool!"

Larksong was confused. "Why?"

"StarPack…" Buckstar rasped, and then his voice caught in his throat.

"StarPack what?" The Beta wolf pressed.

"Larksong!" Fernleaf scolded him. "Just do as our Alpha wishes!"

"Alright." The black and white wolf growled.

"Buckstar's going crazy." Dawntail mumbled to herself. "I'm pregnant with a crazy wolf's pups."

Fernleaf could have sworn she heard Lilyfrost give a gasp below them.

"No you aren't!" The Healer snapped at the light ginger she-wolf. "Larksong, help me drag him down."

"Can't he do it himself?" Larksong growled.

"_Just do it_!" Fernleaf hissed, making him jump.

"Okay, okay!" Larksong grabbed Buckstar's scruff.

He and Fernleaf shouldered Buckstar's big body down the HighRock, their grunts echoing around the clearing. Dawntail followed more slowly, her tail low to the ground.

The Healer gave a wince of pain as her paws started to slip with her own blood.

Twilightpaw ran up to her, carrying cobwebs in her mouth. "Thought you might need this." She said and set them down in front of Fernleaf.

"Thank you!" Fernleaf said gratefully and wrapped them carefully around her paws.

"Hurry!" Buckstar grunted next to her, trying to get up.

"Stay still, Buckstar." Larksong growled, his voice muffled by the Alpha's fur.

The RainPack wolves started to crowd around them, but Larksong gave a howl that made them stop short.

"Stay back!"

"We want to know what's going on!" Lilyfrost cried over the voices of the others.

"It will all be explained soon!" Fernleaf reassured her.

Lilyfrost bared her teeth.

"Listen to them!" Buckstar snapped, making Lilyfrost stare at him. "That's an order!"

The crowd reluctantly backed away.

"Twilightpaw, come with us." Fernleaf told the apprentice.

The light brown she-wolf nodded obediently, her midnight blue eyes narrowed determinedly.

Dawntail sighed. "My mate is going crazy." She sat next to Hawkflight, who surprisingly gave her a glare.

Lilyfrost, a few tail-lengths away, also shot daggers at her, her shiny, white teeth bared.

"Let's go." Fernleaf said and the four wolves exited the entrance without another word.

**Please R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	22. Chapter 21: Answers

**This chapter is called "Answers" because well…you get answers!**

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Chapter 21- Answers

"I can walk from here, Larksong." Buckstar grunted. His head started to clear up and his senses returned gradually.

"Suit yourself." The Beta wolf growled and let go of his scruff.

The Alpha stumbled for a bit, but he regained his ground.

"Want to lean on me?" Fernleaf asked, the Healer's brows furrowed in worry.

"No, I'm fine. I just have to get to the DreamPool." He answered her gruffly. He somehow felt the need to go there. _Maybe StarPack is calling me._ He thought. _Good. I need to know why the Darkness had taken over my body. I just need to know more!_

The wolves walked on in silence. Buckstar occasionally sniffed at the ground, just in case anyone tried to cross into RainPack territory again. He shot a glance at Fernleaf's bandaged paws and his heart gave a guilty shudder.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered to her, out of Twilightpaw and Larksong's earshot.

Fernleaf perked her ears quizzically.

"I…"

The Healer flicked her tail over his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Buckstar. I know it wasn't your fault."

"I don't know what came upon me." The Alpha confessed. "It was like…I was a totally different wolf."

Twilightpaw suddenly let out a bark. "Is this it?"

Buckstar followed the apprentice through the bushes and came into the clearing.

"It sure is." He breathed. Every time he came here, he still felt that same wonder and awe that he had first felt when he first came here with Hollypaw.

"It's…magical." Twilightpaw whispered.

Fernleaf nuzzled her. "It's almost unearthly." She said.

Larksong flicked his tail impatiently. "We went here for something, right, Buckstar?"

Buckstar shook his head at the Beta. "Larksong, have patience. Yes, I did come here for a reason. Wait here."

The wolves waited behind as Buckstar padded closer to the pool. He cautiously peered over, seeing only his handsome reflection shimmer in the water. He looked more tired, more…faded since he had last seen himself. _Had the Darkness done this to me?_ He thought angrily.

Suddenly Twilightpaw screamed. "What's that?" She shrieked.

The wolves looked around in alarm, but saw nothing.

Buckstar saw the water start to shake, and he backed away quickly before a wolf leaped out of the water, its shimmering body landing softly on the ground.

Twilightpaw whimpered, but Fernleaf quickly put her tail over the apprentice's mouth before she could say anything.

Larksong's jaw dropped, his ice blue eyes bulging.

"Buckstar!" The StarPack wolf gasped, the starlight in her fur even more distant that Buckstar remembered it to be.

"Rainstripe? What's-"

Rainstripe blinked, her surprise seemingly fading away and replaced by curiosity.

"You…you're still…you." she whispered.

Buckstar looked at his chest just to make sure. "Yes, yes I am."

Rainstripe let out a sigh of relief. "Your father is a life-saver."

"Why?"

"He stepped in once again to save you."

Buckstar blinked in confusion. "I…didn't feel anything."

"You wouldn't. That's how it's supposed to be."

"I almost killed my Healer!" Buckstar hissed. "I want an explanation, Rainstripe! What's wrong with me?"

The StarPack she-wolf closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them, her blue eyes shimmering. "It's hard to explain."

"But-"

"But I will do it. You deserve more than confusion." Rainstripe sat down on the grass and beckoned the other wolves to join them. "I don't bite." She said as they hesitated. "At least not anymore."

Buckstar chuckled. He has become so familiar with the StarPack wolf that the feeling of uneasiness has faded away. It was as if the she-wolf were alive again.

Fernleaf was the first one to arrive, her ears flattened timidly.

"Sit down. I have much to tell you."

She did so and pressed herself close to Buckstar, who in return licked her ears reassuringly.

Larksong still seemed suspicious, so he sat a few tail-lengths away, his black and white fur making him blend in with the shadows of the clearing.

Twilightpaw hurriedly sat next to Fernleaf, her eyes wide open in amazement.

"The Darkness is a demonic being." Rainstripe started, her voice grim. "It can take over a wolf's mind and turn them utterly evil and destructive."

"But what _is _it?" Buckstar pressed.

"Let me finish." Rainstripe growled to him firmly.

The Alpha drew back, his ears flicked forwards as he listened.

"It is capable of destroying a wolf's mind until it has no recollection of memories, friends or family. It is…in a way, a disease." She took a deep breath. "It plagues us and threatens to diminish the very existence of StarPack. As the Darkness enters each wolf's mind, its faith in us is slowly draining. We thrive on this faith, if not, we will just be mere legends passed down from generation to generation."

"That's why I've never heard of StarPack until I came here." Fernleaf whispered.

Rainstripe nodded sadly. "That's why we strongly need RainPack to believe in us. It's basically…no, it _is_, the last pack left."

Buckstar gasped.

"There are other, so called 'packs', but they live on the evils of the Darkness and they try to spread its sickness to others."

Buckstar growled. "That explains _everything_."

"Their main goal is to destroy the remaining packs and feed the Darkness as many believers as they can."

"Do you think…" Fernleaf started. She then bowed her head and gulped.

"What, Fernleaf?" Twilightpaw asked, her voice small.

"Rainstripe, do you think RainPack is their next target?"

"It might as well be." Rainstripe answered gravely. "But, hopefully, since it_ is_ a new pack, RainPack isn't widely known yet."

Buckstar and the other wolves breathed a sigh of relief.

"I have already told you more than enough, Buckstar." The StarPack wolf said, getting up.

Buckstar's heart sank. "No, don't go! I still have more questions, I-"

Rainstripe flicked her tail and shook her head. "I came here for another reason. I cannot tell you more."

Buckstar bowed his head and sighed.

"Fernleaf," Rainstripe turned to the Healer.

"Y-yes, Rainstripe?" The dark gray wolf stammered.

"You are a fine, young Healer." She whispered, a smile on her face. "Your mother is_ so_ proud of you."

Fernleaf brightened. "Where is she? Can I see her?"

Rainstripe shook her head. "Not yet."

The RainPack Healer looked frustrated.

"Twilightpaw, come here."

The apprentice jumped at the sound of her name, her light brown pelt bristling in fear.

"There's nothing to be afraid of." Rainstripe soothed her.

Twilightpaw reluctantly walked towards the StarPack she-wolf, her eyes tightly shut.

Fernleaf chuckled and flicked her tail on the apprentice's shoulder. "Open your eyes, Twilightpaw."

She opened one deep blue eye slowly, then the other. She blinked a few times and opened her mouth in pure wonder at the sight of the magnificent StarPack wolf.

"You want to become RainPack's Healer apprentice, correct?" Rainstripe asked her.

Twilightpaw's head jiggled for what seemed like a nod.

"Don't be scared." Fernleaf whispered comfortingly in her ear. "She's dead, she can't hurt you."

Rainstripe smirked. "We wouldn't just call it 'dead', Fernleaf." She crinkled her nose. "That's just too vulgar. We prefer to call it passing into the next life, or just deceased."

"Sorry." Fernleaf mumbled.

Buckstar chuckled as he watched, with Larksong at his side.

Rainstripe shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I _am _no longer with the living. Look." She brushed her tail on Twilightpaw's back, but to everyone's surprise, it just passed through.

Twilightpaw just stared at her, trembling, her eyes wide as twin moons.

"H-how did you do that?" Larksong suddenly asked, his eyes almost as wide as Twilightpaw's.

"We're spirits. It's just something we can do." Rainstripe replied.

Larksong kept quiet and watched her intently.

"Enough talking." The StarPack wolf said. "Twilightpaw, do you swear to commit your life to StarPack and uphold the ways of a Healer?"

Twilightpaw blinked and nodded. "I do."

Rainstripe summoned Fernleaf closer with a flick of her tail. "Fernleaf, do you swear to teach this apprentice the ways of a Healer?"

Fernleaf bowed her head_. _"I do."

_It seemed as if she did this before,_ Buckstar thought, _because of the confidence in her voice._

Rainstripe turned to Twilightpaw.

"I speak for all StarPack when I say that we honor you as an apprentice to this Healer. May you serve your pack for many moons to come."

Buckstar was expecting Rainstripe to lick their heads as in a customary ceremony, but she did not, instead just sweeping her gaze over the two.

Fernleaf licked the top of Twilightpaw's head. "I'm proud to have such a knowledgeable wolf under my guidance."

Twilightpaw blushed and licked her mentor's shoulder respectfully.

Rainstripe blinked at them. "This place…the DreamPool is what you call it, right?" She asked, turning to Buckstar.

"Yes." He said and puffed his chest proudly. He named it himself.

"DreamPool it is then." Rainstripe turned back to the two she-wolves. "According to tradition, Healers and their apprentices gather somewhere where StarPack is present, for example…here."

"You…gather here?" Larksong asked.

Rainstripe shook her head. "No, no, no. This is more like a…portal for us, this pool that is, to access into the earthly world."

Buckstar looked at the pool in awe. He would have never guessed that it would lead to StarPack's realm!

"As I was saying, the Healers and their apprentices gather here every half-moon to speak to StarPack in their dreams."

"I've never heard of that in my old pack." Fernleaf said.

"Me neither." Twilightpaw agreed.

Rainstripe sighed. "Most of our traditions have been lost away to the Darkness." Her eyes then returned their usual shine. "When there used to be more packs, the Healers from all the packs would gather here under a peace truce."

"So…they weren't affected by the Wolf Code?" Fernleaf asked.

"Exactly. Healers belong to StarPack and are above the primitive borders and petty fights."

Larksong looked like he was about to give a retort, but Buckstar quickly put his tail on his mouth.

"I see." Fernleaf blinked at the StarPack wolf.

"So the DreamPool is sacred?" Twilightpaw asked Rainstripe.

The dark gray StarPack wolf nodded and smiled. "What a sharp, bright little apprentice you have, Fernleaf."

Twilightpaw blushed.

"The DreamPool has to be respected. No fights can take place here nor can no lies be told."

Larksong looked surprised, but to Buckstar's relief, he stayed quiet.

"Buckstar," Rainstripe turned to the Alpha. "Come here when you need advice from us, but the Darkness also can interfere with this place. Be forewarned. The DreamPool is not exactly a safe haven."

Buckstar bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Rainstripe."

Rainstripe smiled. She swept her gaze over the wolves and said, "I can't stay here any longer. Goodbye." She turned around and leapt into the pool, her form not even breaking the surface.

"That was amazing." Twilightpaw breathed.

"Most definitely." Fernleaf agreed, her green eyes wide. She then blinked at the two he-wolves, and then turned to her apprentice again. "Let's go, new RainPack apprentice," She told her, a smile creeping onto her face.

"Yes," Buckstar said, "We have to hurry, or night will catch up to us."

"Or RainPack will start to get suspicious." Larksong added angrily.

Buckstar led the wolves back to the RainPack camp, twilight shining on their pelts.

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**How did you like it? Please R&R! And vote on my poll!**

**-Evanessence**


	23. Chapter 22: A Midnight Hunt

**The 22nd chapter! Woot! Thanks everyone for reviewing!**

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Chapter 22- A Midnight Hunt

Wolves stared at him as they stepped back into the clearing. Buckstar felt Fernleaf's comforting pelt brush against him, and he gave a grateful whine.

"They don't trust me." Buckstar whispered to her.

"After what happened, I wouldn't doubt that." She answered grimly.

"I will lead a Midnight Hunt if you need it, Buckstar." Larksong asked him, shivering at the unnerving silence that came upon the rest of the RainPack wolves.

Buckstar glanced at the fresh-kill pile, which was indeed very low.

"Sure, Larksong. Take as many wolves as you can." He then smiled. "Another patrol that can be useful everyday. Good thinking, Larksong."

Larksong also smiled, obviously proud of himself. "Would _you _like to go?" The Beta wolf asked, to his surprise.

Fernleaf abruptly separated from him, Twilightpaw in tow. "I have to check on the pup-bringers!" She called over her shoulder as she left.

The Alpha shrugged and nodded to Larksong. "I need exercise anyways."

Larksong nodded. "Alright. I'll go get the others."

Buckstar watched him leave with a sigh._ How am I going to gain the trust of my fellow RainPack wolves back? _He thought in despair.

He suddenly caught the eye of Sparrowfeather near the entrance of the Nursery and she quickly looked away, ushering her blind pups away from the dim light of the sunset with her long tail.

_I know!_ Buckstar thought. _I'll start with my very own mate! She'll understand…hopefully…_

Before he could lift a paw to leave, Larksong returned with a couple of wolves: Lilyfrost and Hawkflight.

Buckstar flicked his ears at his best friend, but she looked away, brief fear flashing in her lilac-colored eyes.

_I can't believe she doesn't trust me either!_ Buckstar wailed inwardly. _I must have been…murderous._

He quickly shook the thought away_. How could I even think that? I will never kill!_ Then a tiny voice in the back of his head whispered, _but the Darkness can…and will…_

_I will not let the Darkness devour me as if I'm some sort of prey_! He argued in his mind. _I have to fight! I still have my will! _The tiny voice again whispered; _use it while you still have it…_

He was obviously not focusing on the present task as he was fighting with his emotions. It took sharp prod to his shoulders to snap him back to attention.

"Buckstar, I asked you a question!" Larksong growled, irritated.

Buckstar flushed, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. Yes?"

"Should I accompany you, or not?" The Beta wolf narrowed his eyes.

The other two wolves were looking at him curiously.

"N-no, Larksong, I'll lead it myself." Buckstar answered shakily, shaking his head.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" Hawkflight asked nervously. "It seems like you haven't been yourself lately. I-"

Larksong interrupted the he-wolf with a swift cuff to his ear. "Don't doubt the Alpha, if he said he'll do it, he'll do it!"

Hawkflight glared at him and licked his chest, his amber eyes still blazing.

"Don't be so harsh." Buckstar told the Beta firmly. "I'm still in command here."

Larksong just shrugged.

Lilyfrost had been staring at the Alpha this whole time, her eyes shadowed.

Buckstar shifted his eyes to hers, but to his frustration, she again avoided his gaze. _What's wrong with her? _He asked. He then shook his head. _No. What's wrong with _me?

"Stay here with the pack," Buckstar told Larksong, "We won't be gone for long."

The Beta nodded.

"Let's go!" The Alpha called to his patrol and together they set off into the night.

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Buckstar and the rest of the wolves sniffed through the forest, their eyes glowing with the scents wafting to their noses.

"I think I scent something." Hawkflight growled, his nose sniffing into the air. They were at the SkyTree, it's high, leafy branches stretching out to the sky.

Buckstar licked his nose to catch a better scent. It went as fast as it came. _Badger!_ It was his favorite prey. They are usually slower than foxes or rabbits, so it's an easy prey to catch, though if a wolf is too reckless, one of its long claws can cause serious injury.

"I'll go get it!" He and Lilyfrost said at the same time. They both looked at each other, then quickly turned away, ears flattened against their heads.

Without warning, Hawkflight broke into a run, following the scent.

Buckstar grumbled in annoyance. _That should've been mine!_ He thought angrily.

Lilyfrost let out her own growl, kicking at the ground.

A silence came upon the two of them. Not even Hawkflight's chase echoed in their ears anymore.

Buckstar looked at Lilyfrost, who was in turn looking at him. This time she did not turn away.

"W-what happened to you?" She stuttered, her voice high and tremulous.

Buckstar closed his eyes and sighed.

"Buckstar! I need to know!" She whined. "I thought you told me everything!"

"I do!" Buckstar argued.

"No you don't!" She hissed. "I didn't know about this…this Darkness!"

"It's…taking over."

"Taking over what?" Lilyfrost pressed, her voice a little more sympathetic.

"My…everything." He quickly told her about the Darkness and she bowed her head when he finished.

She gritted her teeth. "I'm so sorry, Buckstar, I didn't understand-"

Buckstar padded up to her and nuzzled her reassuringly.

"I…I thought my guardian angel was leaving me...like he was becoming a different wolf…like I didn't know him anymore…" She whispered.

"I will never betray you." He whispered in her ear.

Lilyfrost licked him and brushed her tail along his flank. "I will do anything to help you, you know that, right?" She asked him.

Buckstar nodded. "Of course."

"I'm going to help you get through this. Crazy or sane, Alpha or not. I'm always going to be there for you."

Buckstar brushed his muzzle against hers. "And so will I."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

Lilyfrost sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws, suddenly looking very sad.

Buckstar sat down next to her. "What's wrong?" He murmured softly.

"Is it true?" She asked.

Buckstar's hunter green eyes stared into her lilac-colored ones. "Is…what true?"

"About Dawntail. Is she really pregnant…you know, with your pups?"

Buckstar nodded, a grin spread on his face. "Isn't it great?" He sighed wistfully. "Just think about it, I'm going to be a father!"

Lilyfrost blinked at him, then shifted her eyes to the floor. "I, um-" She then cleared her throat, looking as if she was regaining her posture. "Congratulations."

Buckstar licked her. "Thanks, Lilyfrost. I'm so happy. It's the happiest I've ever felt in my life."

Lilyfrost did not return his friendly gesture; instead, she kept looking at her paws. "I'm…happy for you." She said.

"I love her, I really do." Buckstar whispered to her, his eyes alight with excitement. "Lilyfrost, I think I've really found my one true love!"

Lilyfrost flinched. Tears started to form on her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away before Buckstar could notice them.

"And now she's having my pups! Can you believe that? It's a bit early, I know, but it's was as if StarPack meant this to be!" Buckstar gazed faraway into the night, his eyes clouded over.

Lilyfrost sniffed.

Buckstar was immediately concerned. "What's wrong?" He asked her feverishly.

Lilyfrost sat up, her mouth formed into a fake smile. "Uh…just a few bugs around, nothing else."

Buckstar looked doubtful, but he licked her nose and got up. "Okay, then. If anything's wrong, just tell me."

Lilyfrost opened her mouth to say something, but just then, Hawkflight crashed through the bracken, the limp body of a badger in his strong jaws.

"Got him. Badgers are actually pretty fast on their paws, you know." The dark ginger he-wolf said through the black and white fur of the prey.

"But you got him nonetheless. Good catch." Buckstar complimented him.

Hawkflight spat out the badger and licked his bloody lips. He then looked at both of the wolves, a confused expression on his face. "Where is your prey? Were you both hunting?"

Buckstar opened his mouth to respond, but Lilyfrost was faster. "I bet I'll catch a fox faster than you did with that badger!" She bragged and leaped into the bush.

Hawkflight watched her go, the same expression on his face. He then looked as if he was going to say something to Buckstar, but he stopped himself.

"What are we waiting for?" Buckstar said, trying to lighten the mood. "I thought this was a hunt!"

"I thought so too." Hawkflight growled and ran into the bushes again, his tail quickly disappearing from sight.

Buckstar sighed heavily and looked up at the stars gleaming above him. "StarPack help me gain their trust back." He prayed and followed Hawkflight deeper into the forest.

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He had caught several wild birds and a fox when he returned to the others at the SkyTree. He put down his prey and looked around. Hawkflight was a few tail-lengths away, licking his paws.

"Has Lilyfrost come back yet?" Buckstar asked him.

Hawkflight shook his head and kept on cleaning his paws.

Soon enough, the she-wolf came back, holding two foxes by their bushy, red tails.

"Two?" Hawkflight gasped, his amber eyes wide.

"Told you." The she-wolf sniffed and dropped the prey.

"We have caught enough to feed the whole pack for a while!" Buckstar said happily.

Lilyfrost looked proud of herself, her chest puffed out, while Hawkflight glared at her, envy in his eyes.

"It's obvious who the best hunters are in this pack!" Buckstar smiled.

"Larksong's good too." Hawkflight pointed out. "He's been hunting all this time."

"That's true." Buckstar admitted.

Lilyfrost let out an impatient snort. "Are we going to sit here gossiping all day or are we actually going to bring these back?"

Buckstar chuckled and flicked his tail at her nose, making her sneeze. "Oh, Lilyfrost. Are you in a hurry?"

"I'm getting tired, that's all." She yawned.

"It_ is_ pretty late." Hawkflight said, looking up at the sky. The moon was new tonight, so they had no light to guide them home.

Buckstar picked up his prey and signaled the others to follow with his tail. As he padded back to the camp, he breathed deeply, the harsh, forest scents filling up into his nostrils. _It's good to feel alive again…_he thought and slipped into the camp, the others close to his heels.

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**Chapter 23's a big chapter, so try to contain yourselves on the wait! **

**P.S- The allegiances for this story are on my bio, so go and check it out! (and also my new fanfic, Haunted)**

**-Evanessence**


	24. Chapter 23: Jealousy's Wrath

**Big chapter time!! Thanks, Puppyscruffy for your…er, many reviews on the beginning chapters! I'm glad you think it's awesome!**

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Chapter 23- Jealousy's Wrath

The wolves entered the camp, jaws full of prey.

Buckstar dropped his at the fresh-kill pile and while the others did so too, he looked around. No one was awake at this time.

"They must have gone to sleep." Lilyfrost suddenly whispered in his ear, making him jump in surprise.

She looked unusually playful. "Scared you?"

"N-not at all!" Buckstar argued.

She smiled and pressed her flank against his. "My fearless Alpha!" Her lilac-colored eyes gleamed with playfulness and she licked his ear.

Hawkflight rolled his eyes and left them to go to the Pack Den to get some rest.

Buckstar nuzzled his friend. "Didn't you say you were tired?" He asked her, a brow lifted.

"Oh, yeah." Lilyfrost smiled. "I guess I'm going to go to sleep now…" She left him, walked away a few steps, and looked back at him. "All alone…" She sighed.

Buckstar rolled his eyes, padded up to her, and licked her back. "I said I'll never leave you alone." He said.

"That's right!" She laughed and nuzzled him. "Come sleep next to me."

Buckstar then looked back at the Nursery, where Dawntail was probably sleeping.

Lilyfrost frowned and nudged him closer to the entrance of the Pack Den. "C'mon." She urged.

"You know, I ought to-"

"Nevermind about her. You'll see her in the morning." Lilyfrost said quickly.

Buckstar sighed and shrugged. "It's too late anyhow. She's probably asleep."

Lilyfrost smiled again and padded into the den, her tail high as she made her way deep into the den, careful to avoid the sleeping wolves around her.

Buckstar followed her until she sat down in a makeshift nest, flicking her tail for him to come and join her. He obliged, sitting next to her until their pelts were pressed close together.

He lied down and yawned, blinking his eyes sleepily. He then felt Lilyfrost's gentle tongue start to groom him, and he gave an appreciative smile.

"It's the least I can do for you, my wolf with wings." She whispered and nuzzled his shoulder.

He licked her chest and closed his eyes. He then felt Lilyfrost put her head on his back, her gentle snores echoing with the others in the den.

He then fell asleep with the smile still plastered on his handsome muzzle.

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"Fernleaf! Fernleaf, wake up!"

The Healer opened her eyes and blinked groggily. "What's the emergency?" She grumbled. It was near dawn. She had barely slept!

Twilightpaw was hovering anxiously above her, her midnight blue eyes wide.

Fernleaf immediately scented the apprentice's fear and she asked again, more firmly, "What's going on? What's wrong?"

"I…I had a dream!" She whispered.

Fernleaf let out a scoff and rolled her eyes. "Let me sleep, Twilightpaw. Don't bother me anymore with just a stupid dream."

Twilightpaw prodded her shoulder, causing her to give a low growl. "But…but it had StarPack in it and-"

Fernleaf's head abruptly shot up. She turned to the apprentice. "Did you say StarPack?"

Twilightpaw nodded vigorously.

"Tell me about it. Every last detail." The RainPack Healer sat up and stared intently at her apprentice.

The light brown she-wolf looked down, shuffling her paws in embarrassment. "I, uh, I saw a stag and…and a flower…and…"

Fernleaf's brows rose incredulously. "Twilightpaw, what are you-"

"Then I saw the sun. It was at dawn and it caused the stag to run away and the flower to wither, uh…"

Fernleaf shook her head. "What does StarPack have to do with this?"

"Wait," Twilightpaw said, "Then I saw the stars."

"After the dawn?"

Twilightpaw narrowed her eyes, as if reliving it in her mind. She then shivered. "Yes, it was after. The stars were very bright and then I had felt something warm and sticky on my paws…"

Fernleaf gasped. "Blood…"

"Was it?" Twilightpaw asked, and then she nodded, her fur starting to tremble. "Yes it was blood. It washed away the pretty stars and then in my mind, I heard someone say, '_The stag and flower will join, but dawn will break and blood will rule the stars…'"_

"A prophecy…" Fernleaf muttered, her mind whirling.

"A what?" Twilightpaw asked.

Fernleaf got up and started to pace. "But what could it mean?"

"A prophecy? What_ is_ that, Fernleaf?"

"It's an omen or a sign from StarPack." She continued pacing. "I don't know if it's good or bad."

Twilightpaw stayed silent.

"The stag and flower will join? How could that be so?" Fernleaf asked in bewilderment.

"Maybe," Twilightpaw said timidly, "maybe there's a deeper meaning to it?"

Fernleaf abruptly stopped pacing and blinked at her. "Well, of course! That's it! There's got to be something more than meets the eye!"

Twilightpaw gave a small smile.

Fernleaf then frowned. "But how would they send it an apprentice and not me or even Buckstar?"

Twilightpaw did not have an answer for that particular question.

"The stag…the stag…" Fernleaf pondered.

"Maybe Buckstar?" Twilightpaw asked. "Buck is another name for a stag."

Fernleaf wanted to hit herself. "It makes so much sense when you say it, Twilightpaw! You should be the Healer!"

Twilightpaw shrugged. "Not yet."

Fernleaf continued thinking. "Flower…flower…what could the flower mean?" She turned to her apprentice. "Any ideas?"

The light brown she-wolf shook her head. "No. It could be any flower, really."

"I'll have to think about it some more. What concerns me is the blood part."

Twilightpaw shivered. "Yeah. Me too."

"I'll have to tell Buckstar." Fernleaf sighed.

Twilightpaw nodded, her head aching from all the thinking and dreaming…she felt like she could faint at any second. "I'm confused." She whined.

Fernleaf nuzzled her affectionately. "Me too, Twilightpaw, me too."

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Buckstar awoke to the sound of a sharp growl above his head. He looked up and saw the unblinking face of his mate.

He sat up and shook the sleep from his eyes.

"Hello, Buckstar." She growled, her dark blue eyes narrowed.

Buckstar was taken back by her sudden hostility. "Dawn, what's wrong?"

"Don't ever call me that again!" She spat. "It's Dawntail!"

Buckstar was angry now. "What's going on?"

"I see you've found a better wolf to be with, _Alpha_." Dawntail snarled, her claws digging into the mossy ground of the nest.

Buckstar looked around, remembering Lilyfrost. _She left!_ He thought angrily.

Dawntail bared her teeth. "Explain yourself!" She hissed.

"Lilyfrost is my friend, you know that!" Buckstar spat, making his mate jump in surprise.

Dawntail blinked. "More than a friend, obviously. I saw you two together last night. Why didn't you come to the Nursery to sleep with _me_? I'm pregnant with _your _pups after all!" She snapped.

The light brown he-wolf took a deep breath. "When I arrived, you were already sleeping. I didn't want to wake you up."

"So this is what you do when I'm asleep?" Dawntail shrieked. "_You cheat on me_?"

Buckstar felt the other wolves start to stir, lifting their heads and blinking sleepily.

"I'm not cheating on you!" Buckstar hissed, his voice low. "I will never cheat on you!"

"You and your empty promises! I hate you, Buckstar!"

Buckstar's jaw dropped. He felt like if a dozen stakes pieced his heart. "W-what did you say?"

"You heard what I said!" The she-wolf snapped. "We're through!"

Buckstar shook his head in disbelief.

The wolves around them started to give them questioning looks.

"Can we do this in a more…private place?" Buckstar asked, trying hard to keep his temper from reaching its boiling point.

"Private place?" Dawntail howled, her dark blue eyes blazing like fire. "Here's your 'private place'!"

Before he knew it, she raised a claw and slashed him across the check, making him see red.

She stormed out of the den, lashing her tail behind her.

Buckstar winced in pain as the cut started to bleed.

"She hurt you!" Stormpaw said, running over to him.

Buckstar did not respond, too choked up to say anything. He felt his warm blood seep into his fur and his eyes started to water.

"Talk to me, Buckstar!" Stormpaw begged. "I know you're mad at me, but I can't stand you getting hurt!"

Buckstar completely ignored him. He could not believe Dawntail would leave him for just Lilyfrost sleeping next to him. _Lilyfrost! That she-wolf!_ Buckstar hissed in his mind. _She probably had this all planned out!_

"Buckstar!" Stormpaw cried.

'I-I have to talk to her!" Buckstar decided and ran out of the Pack Den, the half-asleep wolves' heads following him.

"Wait!" Stormpaw called after him and followed his brother. "You're seriously going to go to her while she did that to you?"

Buckstar growled, not looking back at the small he-wolf. "I deserved it anyways. Go away!"

Stormpaw abruptly stopped, tears in his eyes as he watched the Alpha run into the Nursery.

"Dawntail!" The light brown he-wolf said breathlessly, frantically searching for his mate.

"She's not here." Sparrowfeather came out of the shadows, and to his surprise, Fernleaf too.

"Where is she?" The Alpha asked.

Fernleaf padded up to him, concern flickering in her green eyes. She put a paw on his bloody cheek. "What happened to you? Where did you-"

"Nevermind that!" Buckstar hissed, brushing her away. "I need to know where she is!"

"She left right before you came, Buckstar." Sparrowfeather said calmly. "She said she needed to go out."

"And you let her go out?" Buckstar growled. "She's pregnant for StarPack's sake!"

Sparrowfeather looked offended. "The fact that she's pregnant and in the Nursery doesn't mean we'll keep her prisoner here!"

"I'll go get you cobwebs, Buckstar." Fernleaf cut in quickly. "Don't go anywhere."

"But-"

"Just listen to me. She's probably somewhere out there. Who knows? She's floaty, remember?" She chucked.

Buckstar stayed grim.

Fernleaf shot a look at him and left hurriedly.

"Why do you need to see her badly anyways?" Sparrowfeather asked once Fernleaf was well out of earshot. Silentheart suddenly appeared behind the she-wolf, her pups twisting around her ankles.

"It's…personal." Buckstar said.

"I see." Sparrowfeather grunted. She turned to the mute golden she-wolf. "What is it, Silentheart?"

The she-wolf blinked.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot." Sparrowfeather whispered, blushing. She then looked at Silentheart's paws at her pups and gasped.

Silentheart's blue eyes shined as she licked Hazelpup, whose eyes opened to reveal beautiful hazel-colored eyes.

"Their eyes are open!" Sparrowfeather gushed.

Buckstar rolled his eyes. _This is a big waste of time!_ He thought angrily. _I need to find Dawntail!_

"Oh, Crowpup! You have your father's eyes!" She licked the top of the black wolf's head and in turn, he gave an excited yelp. "Can you see me? Of course, you can! I'm your mother! I nursed you when you were just a pup!"

_He still _is_ a pup, bear-brain…_Buckstar growled inwardly. _Where's Fernleaf with those cobwebs?_

As if on cue, the Healer stepped into the den, her paws full of cobwebs.

"Thank you." Buckstar sighed in relief and bent down so Fernleaf can apply them to his scratch.

"I need to talk to you." She whispered into his ear, putting on the last bit of the web.

Buckstar whined and lifted his head. "Now?" He was impatient to get going. "Can't you tell it to me later?"

"It's _very _important."

Sparrowfeather turned to the Healer. "Fernleaf! They opened their eyes!"

Fernleaf smiled at her. "Congratulations."

"I have to tell Larksong!" With that, she bolted out the den, her black tail high in the air.

Silentheart blinked at them and resumed with the pups, obviously trying very hard not to eavesdrop into their conversation.

_She's probably the best listener I've ever met! _Buckstar thought. _She can't talk so obviously all she _can _do is listen!_

"Let's go to my den." Fernleaf must have been thinking the same thing.

"But Dawntail-" Buckstar whimpered.

"You'll find her later." Fernleaf led him out of the Nursery. "She'll come back…eventually."

_I hope so…_Buckstar thought worriedly and followed the Healer into her den. _This better be important! _

Twilightpaw was clearly waiting for her mentor. The small light brown she-wolf was sitting by the pool, her front paws dunked into it.

"Twilightpaw, he's here. Tell him what you told me. Word for word." Fernleaf said.

Buckstar was confused. What was so important that the Healer apprentice had to tell it to him, not the Healer herself?

Twilightpaw took a deep breath, stood up and shook the water off her paws. She sat down, wrapped her tail neatly around them, and gazed into the Alpha's hunter green eyes with her mystifying dark blue ones. She started ominously, her words echoing throughout the cave, "I had a dream…"

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**Hmm…a sort of a cliffie here, huh? I'm going to be gone for two weeks, so this won't be updated until I come back. I still expect many reviews! Until next time!**

**-Evanessence**


	25. Chapter 24: A Close Encounter

**Here's and extra-early Chapter 24! **

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Chapter 24- A Close Encounter

The apprentice finished and bowed her head.

Buckstar was even more puzzled than before. "A prophecy? About what?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Fernleaf sighed. "I didn't think one will come this early."

"It means that StarPack thinks there's danger ahead, right?" Buckstar asked gravely.

Fernleaf nodded. "I think that's what the blood means."

"The stag could be you, Buckstar." Twilightpaw said.

Buckstar furrowed his brows. "Really?"

"It's…another word for buck, actually."

Buckstar shook his head. "Then this prophecy might be…about me?"

Fernleaf nodded. "It could. It could not. We don't know for sure."

Buckstar rolled his eyes and sighed. "Great. Just another trouble to add to my already piling mountain."

Fernleaf nuzzled his shoulder reassuringly. "We'll take care of the prophecy for now, Buckstar. We'll help you figure it out. Go on whatever you were going to do. Just try to be more careful." She glanced at his bandaged wound.

"I will." Buckstar licked her and nodded curtly to her apprentice. "Goodbye."

He felt the she-wolves' eyes on him as he left the Healer's Den. He welcomed the mist of the waterfall as it soaked through his fur.

He then looked towards the Nursery, his heart sinking. "It's no use looking for her now." He growled to himself. "She's probably far gone by now. I'll wait until she comes back to talk to her."

He padded into the clearing and shook the water droplets off his pelt._ I have to do something to keep my mind off Dawntail and that stupid prophecy…_

He then shifted his eyes to the fresh-kill pile, where Hollypaw was grabbing the fox he had caught the night before. He smiled for what seemed like ages. _I need to train her! She's been lazy for far too long! I hope she hasn't forgotten anything…_

The Alpha padded up to his apprentice, the black she-wolf busy gnawing at a bone.

She turned her green eyes up at him, and she let go of the bone. "Hi, Buckstar!" She greeted him.

"Are you up for some training?" Buckstar asked her. "Or are you too tired?"

Hollypaw shook her head and stood up, her tail wagging. "Not at all." Then she cocked her head. "Are we doing battle-training?"

Buckstar was surprised at her question. "No. Isn't it a bit too early for that?" He replied.

Hollypaw looked crestfallen. "Oh. Redpaw just said-"

Buckstar rolled his eyes. "That braggart? He's got nothing better to do than bother you, Hollypaw."

The she-wolf gave him a small smile. "I suppose you're right…"

"Don't worry." He nudged her shoulder affectionately. "We'll get around to it soon. It's better to take things one pawstep at a time so you can be the best warrior you can be."

"And a lot of practice too, right?"

"Most definitely. Practice is what makes a warrior not only a warrior, but an _excellent _warrior at that."

"I want to be that warrior, Buckstar!" Hollypaw piped up, her bright green eyes shining.

Buckstar chuckled. His worries seemed to fade when he was with the black lovable she-wolf. "Then let's go work on your crouches."

"Alright!" She ran ahead of him, her head and tail high.

Buckstar shook his head. _I have never seen her so…energetic and happy to go on a training._ _and especially at this time of day. _He thought. _Something's strange is going on with her. Thank StarPack. _He thought gratefully and followed her out of the RainPack camp.

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They arrived at the LoneRock, panting and out of breath.

"You're a fast runner, Hollypaw." He gasped, still trying to regain his breath.

"My mother was too." She said. "Before she had pups, of course."

Buckstar smiled. "Your brothers and sister opened their eyes today."

Hollypaw nodded and a wistful look came into her eyes. "I know. I saw then with my father. They sure are beautiful!" She looked at him. "I hope your and Dawntail's pups come out just as beautiful!"

Buckstar's smile wavered for a moment, but he shook it away_. I have to concentrate on this training. Not Dawntail! _He scolded himself.

"Alright," He started to say, but Hollypaw swiftly interrupted him with a bark.

"The fox crouch?" She guessed.

Buckstar was surprised. "How did you know?"

She tilted her head high in pride. "I've been practicing, just like you told me to." She jumped into the sand and crouched, her body close to the ground.

Buckstar nodded approvingly. _She almost does it like Dawntail…_he thought and he shook his head vigorously, _stop thinking about her!_

"Ha, you little fox! I've got you now!" Hollypaw suddenly leaped into the air and came down hard on her front paws on some sort of invisible prey.

"Good job!" Buckstar praised her. "You_ have _been practicing."

Hollypaw smiled.

"Now let's go catch a real one." Her mentor said, flicking his tail.

Her smile grew even bigger and she started to wag her tail. "Alright!"

"I'm sure they'll tremble with fear when they hear Hollypaw's on the prowl!" Buckstar chuckled.

"Absolutely!"

Buckstar led her out of the LoneRock, his eyes keen on catching the russet-red fur of a fox.

"I'll find one!" Hollypaw said, running up to his side.

"Lead on, then." The Alpha let his apprentice overtake him, seeing her raise her muzzle and give a good sniff.

"There's fox scent here, but it's stale."

Buckstar nodded. "Right."

Hollypaw continued to lead him through the forest until they reached the river border.

The Alpha spotted a raccoon fishing at the edge of the river and it suddenly looked up at him, its beady, amber eyes piercing through his fur before it scampered off into the woods.

He sighed. The raccoon's mask reminded of the black markings around Dawntail's eyes and he finally broke down, sobbing into his fur.

Hollypaw stopped, hearing her mentor's muffled sobs. She hurried to his side, concern in her green eyes. "What's wrong? Is something going on?" She asked feverishly.

Buckstar shook his head and sniffed back the tears. "N-nothing, Hollypaw."

Hollypaw lashed her tail. "Let's go back, Buckstar." She said.

He shook his head again. "No. Continue walking."

Hollypaw seemed doubtful and confused at the same time. "Are you sure?"

"There's…just something in my eye, that's all." He sniffed.

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes, obviously seeing through his lie. She just shrugged and sighed. "C'mon."

Buckstar followed his apprentice through the forest until she abruptly stopped; her ears and tail erect.

He sniffed and gave a small nod. There was strong fox-scent around here.

His apprentice lowered into the hunter's crouch and he quietly slipped into a bush, wanting his apprentice to catch this fox herself.

He watched as she looked around. The fox was nowhere to be seen. He heard her give an inaudible mumble.

_She's supposed to stay completely silent!_ Buckstar thought, as Hollypaw looked his direction_, and she has to focus on the situation, not look at me!_

He was about to open his mouth to say something to her, but she gave a shriek, her bright green eyes blazing with fear.

"Buckstar, watch out!"

He felt heavy breathing on his back and he twisted around, his pelt bristling. He gasped in surprise. A fox was behind him, back arched and russet-red tail lashing angrily. The creature advanced slowly, long claws extended and white fangs bared and gleaming.

Buckstar backed away out of the bush, his own fangs bared threateningly.

Hollypaw jumped to his side, growling at the fox.

"Go, Hollypaw! I'll take care of this!" Buckstar hissed at her. The fox turned its head at him and glowered through its beady amber eyes.

"I'm not leaving you here alone!" Hollypaw hissed back. "It's huge!" She whispered to herself fearfully.

Buckstar dug his claws into the earth and shoved Hollypaw out of the fox's way. It suddenly lunged at him and his breath was knocked away as he rolled on the earth.

He felt the fox give him a bite to his shoulder and he dug his claws into its unprotected underbelly. It gave a hiss and let go of his shoulder, instead opening its maw to lunge at his throat.

Buckstar batted its muzzle aside with a swift claw swipe from his big paw before it got a chance to get a good grip on his throat. He finally managed to get on top of the fox, but it just slithered away from him, its blood already soaking the ground underneath them.

The Alpha whirled around, frantically searching for the fox.

Suddenly, he felt a weight jump on his back and the fox bit into his scruff. Buckstar roared in agony. The fox had finally gained an advantage against him and he bucked wildly, trying to shake it off.

Hollypaw, who had until now tried to snap at the fox, barreled into it, her deadly claws fully extended.

She had obviously surprised the fox and he was able to wiggle out of its grasp. As he recovered, the fox let out a blood-curling screech and fled, its tail between its legs.

Buckstar regained his breath and saw his apprentice hobble towards him, her normally black muzzle stained red with blood. "You're hurt!" She gasped.

The Alpha looked at his bloody shoulder wound and then felt the familiar sting of the slash Dawntail had given him earlier. _It must have reopened._ He thought angrily.

"It's not too bad." He grunted. "I've had worse."

Hollypaw stayed silent, her heavy breathing echoing in his ears. He licked the top of her head. "Thanks for saving my life, Hollypaw. I owe it to you."

Hollypaw shrugged. "You have four others, right?"

Buckstar chuckled. "One of them is for you then." He then was serious. "But really, thank you. I am honored to be your mentor."

She blushed. "I-it was nothing."

"You will make an excellent fighter. I can see it in you now."

Her eyes shone. "R-really?"

"I swear it to StarPack." He licked her again. "It's too bad we didn't get to kill the fox."

She perked her ears uncertainly. "Why did it attack us in the first place? I mean…normally _we _would attack it, not the other way around."

Buckstar frowned. "It must have pups around here. Let's go before it comes back."

Hollypaw nodded her agreement.

He led her out of the bloodstained clearing, keeping a close eye on the undergrowth just in case another fox decides to make a last appearance before they left.

As they approached the camp entrance, Buckstar stopped, hesitant.

"What's wrong?" Hollypaw asked.

"Shhh…" Buckstar whispered in her ear. "I hear something."

Hollypaw gave a small nod to show that she understood and stayed close to him, fearful that another fox might attack them again.

Buckstar perked his ears. He thought he heard a twig snap behind them. He turned around and gasped at what he saw. A large, black shape looming ominously over them.

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**Don't you just love cliffhangers? Well, until next time I find the time to update!**

**-Evanessence**


	26. Chapter 25: Warning

**Chapter 25 already? Wow, we're halfway through the story!**

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Chapter 25- Warning

"What are you gasping about, Buckstar? It's only Blackfrost." Hollypaw told him.

Buckstar softly exhaled. The black warrior was staring strangely at him, a brow raised. "Sorry, just thought you were something else for a moment."

Blackfrost just gave a grunt and examined him. "What did you do? Try to fight with the prey?"

"Actually, Blackfrost," Buckstar said, ignoring Blackfrost's insult, "we did."

The black wolf looked surprised. "Really?"

"A fox attacked us." Hollypaw growled.

Blackfrost's head tipped to the side. "I've…never heard of that."

"I know." Buckstar growled and winced as his wounds started to sting again. "Not even prey is safe anymore."

"_Nothing _is safe, Buckstar. You know that." Blackfrost said.

Buckstar nodded sadly. "Not even dreams."

Blackfrost sighed. "You found that out the hard way, didn't you?"

The Alpha blinked and bowed his head.

Hollypaw put her tail comfortingly on his broad shoulder, but he gave yelp of pain. She had put her black tail on the_ injured_ shoulder.

"Oh, sorry." She apologized and immediately took it off.

"We have to go to Fernleaf, Blackfrost." Buckstar grunted, gritting his teeth from the pain.

The warrior nodded and flicked his tail. He started to walk through the entrance, but he then looked back over his shoulder, his ice blue eyes narrowing. "I almost forgot. Dawntail wants to see you, Buckstar. She said it's…important."

Buckstar closed his eyes and he heard the warrior pad off. _What does Dawntail want now_? He thought angrily._ I thought she had already accused me enough. Guess not. What did I do now?_

He felt Hollypaw's muzzle as she nudged him softly. "Buckstar, my leg's starting to hurt."

"Let's pad fast, then." The Alpha growled and slipped into the camp, his apprentice at his heels. They limped towards the Healer's Den, and found that the Healer was not there, but instead her apprentice.

She was sitting near the pool, staring at the water. She did not stir as they came in and just kept staring intently as if the pool was some sort of prey.

Hollypaw let out a light cough and the Healer apprentice jumped in sheer surprise. She whirled around to them and immediately looked concerned. "Oh my…what happened?" She hurried towards the wolves and started to examine them.

"Long story…" Hollypaw mumbled.

Buckstar looked at her then nodded. "I'll explain it to you later." He said to the light brown she-wolf.

Twilightpaw shook her head. "No need. This looks like the wound Fernleaf covered for you earlier." She said, pointing to Buckstar's injured cheek with her snout.

The Alpha blinked. "It was."

"I'll have to wrap it for you again." The apprentice told him and went to the shelves of the den. She picked out a few cobwebs delicately with one of her paws and brought them back to Buckstar.

She began wrapping his wound in the web and she noticed his shoulder wound. "Actually, I _do _want to know what did that to you!" She cried.

Buckstar gritted his teeth. He wished wolves would stop worrying for him so much.

"A fox." Hollypaw said and groaned as she stretched out her injured hind leg.

"Don't move that quite yet!" Twilightpaw said tersely as she finished wrapping up Buckstar's shoulder wound. "It might be sprained."

Hollypaw let out an inaudible grumble. Then louder she said sarcastically, "Great, just what I needed."

"A fox, you say?" Twilightpaw did not seem to be affected. "Back where I'm from, foxes were normally as aggressive as this."

Hollypaw let out a snort. "Really? So…you didn't hunt foxes?"

"Of course we did!" Twilightpaw chuckled. "Our warriors liked the challenge! Though, usually we Healers had our paws full healing them."

"I could tell." Buckstar said as she moved on to examine Hollypaw's leg. "You're really good at healing. For an apprentice, I mean."

Twilightpaw sighed. "I had a really good mentor. Even though he was half-deaf, he still was one of the best Healers I have ever seen." To Hollypaw she said, "Stretch out you leg just like you did before."

Hollypaw did so and let out a howl as Twilightpaw touched her leg with her snout.

"It's sprained." The Healer apprentice confirmed and gently pushed the apprentice's hind leg back to its normal position. "You might want to rest until it is fully healed."

The black she-wolf let out a groan and sat down.

Buckstar nudged her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, it won't be that bad."

"But it'll be _so_ boring!" She growled.

Twilightpaw looked offended. "You're glad I'm here to keep you company, at least!" She snapped.

Hollypaw rolled her eyes and kept silent.

"You'll be better tomorrow, Hollypaw. You'll see." He looked at Twilightpaw. "Right?"

"Depends." The Healer apprentice growled, her voice taut.

"What do you mean it 'depends'?" Hollypaw hissed.

Buckstar flicked his tail over her mouth to keep her from saying anything else. "Just be patient. Patience is one of the qualities an excellent warrior has to have, Hollypaw. Remember that."

"I'll try, Buckstar." His apprentice sighed. "I'll try."

The Alpha turned to Twilightpaw. "Where's Fernleaf?"

"She went out to look for herbs." The light brown she-wolf replied. "She won't back until much later."

Buckstar whispered, "Take care of Hollypaw for me."

Hollypaw looked indignant. "I don't need any taking care of! I can take care of myself!"

"I will." Twilightpaw sighed, glancing at the apprentice.

Buckstar gave her a curt nod and slipped out of the den, his shoulder sore from the wound, but not infected.

He searched the clearing with narrowed eyes. _Where's Dawntail? _He asked himself bitterly, _I thought she wanted to see me…_

Instead, he caught sight of Lilyfrost. She was on her way to meet Sagetail, who was talking to Redpaw by the stream.

Buckstar's blood suddenly rushed to his head. _She was the one who started all of this!_ He hissed in his mind. _That little she-devil!_

His mind clouded with dark thoughts. _I'm going to teach her a lesson she will never forget! _He began to run towards her, his deadly claws extended and white fangs bared, ready to meet the warm touch of flesh.

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Sagetail saw him first.

"Lilyfrost, look out!" He cried as Buckstar pelted towards her, his light brown pelt bristling in fury and eyes blazing madly. Sagetail even thought he saw a flash of red in those two hunter green orbs.

The she-wolf let out a cry and sidestepped out of his way, causing the Alpha to run into Sagetail.

Buckstar knocked the wind out of him as they tumbled backwards, crashing into Redpaw. The apprentice howled and jumped out of their way.

Buckstar let out an enraged growl and opened his jaws to bite into Sagetail's shoulder, but the brown wolf batted him away with a clawed paw.

"Which one's which?" Redpaw cried.

"I don't know!" Lilyfrost hissed. "Buckstar, stop it!" She called into the writhing mass of light brown pelts and claws.

The Alpha dug his claws into Sagetail's flank and opened his mouth once again, sharp teeth prepared for the bite.

At the last moment, Sagetail let out a powerful kick with his strong hind legs into Buckstar's underbelly that sent the wolf tumbling away from him and into the small, running stream.

Buckstar did not move, the water soaking into his fur. He was unconscious.

Sagetail slowly got up and shook his ruffled fur.

"Are you okay?" Lilyfrost asked him, her eyes troubled.

Sagetail nodded. "He's out. I guess he had another one of those 'attacks'." He looked at his flank and saw the marks that the Alpha left behind.

Lilyfrost frowned. "He was aiming at me…" She breathed. "That can't be an attack."

Redpaw was frightened. "He's getting up!" He cowered behind Sagetail.

The Alpha shakily stood up, his pelt dripping with water. He let out a cough and sneezed.

Lilyfrost backed away, distrust written all over her expression. _What had Sagetail done to deserve this? _She thought. _What have _I_ done to deserve this?_

Sagetail snarled and stepped in front of Lilyfrost protectively. "Go, Lilyfrost, in case he attacks again."

Redpaw growled defiantly. "I'll fight with you, Sagetail!"

Lilyfrost kept silent, still watching Buckstar. Redpaw looked at her and then at Sagetail.

His mentor hissed for him to go, but the apprentice shook his head. It finally took the powerful wolf's shove to send Redpaw running into the Pack Den.

The Alpha turned his head to look at them, guilt in his eyes. He stepped out of the stream and ran out of the camp.

Lilyfrost watched him go, her heart sinking in despair. She was losing him. Losing him fast. She felt Sagetail lick her ear reassuringly.

"He's gone. For now."

She let out a whine. "I want to know why!" She sniffed. "He's become this…monster. I feel like I don't know him anymore."

Sagetail put his tail on her shoulder and just listened as she started to weep.

"Is it something that I did?" She cried. "What is something I said?"

Sagetail sighed. "Who knows? It could be…"

Lilyfrost suddenly let out a low moan. "Oh no, no, no."

"What?" Sagetail asked.

"It was last night. I know it."

The light brown he-wolf flicked his ears in interest. "What…happened last night?"

"I slept with him." She broke out in sobs.

Sagetail gasped. "Wait, you mean you…and Buckstar…"

Lilyfrost bared her teeth at him, causing him to reluctantly back away. "Not like that, bear-brain! I slept _next_ to him!"

Sagetail's brows furrowed. "Oh."

"Dawntail must have seen." The silver she-wolf hissed and dug her claws into the ground. "She must have gotten the wrong message. I know her too well."

Sagetail nodded understandingly. In the few days he had been here, that she-wolf had struck him as being overly jealous and protective of Buckstar…maybe to the point that she would even kill.

As if on cue, the she-wolf herself slipped out of the Nursery, her light ginger pelt glossy as always. She even was looking a bit plump, showing her pregnancy. She spotted Lilyfrost and curled her lip threateningly.

Sagetail once again stepped in front of her and bared his teeth protectively.

"Sagetail, I can take care of myself!" She growled and pushed him away, much to his surprise.

Dawntail stalked towards her, her tail raised challengingly. "Well if it isn't Buckstar's mate!" She hissed.

Lilyfrost's pelt bristled. "It wasn't what it looked like, Dawntail-"

The pregnant she-wolf growled. "I find that hard to believe. He had to choose between me and you and he made his choice."

Sagetail looked confused. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Go, Sagetail." Lilyfrost told him, still glaring at Dawntail.

"Are you sure?" The he-wolf asked, looking doubtful.

Dawntail snickered. "Lilyfrost's new 'wolf with wings' aren't you, Sagetail?"

Lilyfrost bared her teeth. Sagetail just growled, lashing his tail angrily.

"You know you two look _so _much alike…" Dawntail said casually.

"So I've heard." Sagetail hissed.

"Leave. Now!" Lilyfrost shoved him roughly, causing him to stumble into the ground.

Dawntail chuckled. "A bit rough, aren't you? Buckstar likes that you know. At least back when he was _my_ mate!" She snarled.

Sagetail's expression turned from furious to worried. He was concerned for Lilyfrost's safety. He figured he would leave, but stay close in case Dawntail decided to leave Lilyfrost unscathed. He left her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lilyfrost saw the light brown he-wolf pad away, his tail low to the ground. _He's _so _annoying sometimes…_She thought angrily.

Dawntail advanced, her claws gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. "I wished it wouldn't have come to this, Lilyfrost. But you leave me no choice."

Lilyfrost backed away and crouched defensively, her pelt bristling. "You won't kill me!" She hissed. "You won't!" Dawntail kept walking, her hard gaze undeterred. "You couldn't…you can't!"

Dawntail pounced, landing on Lilyfrost's underbelly and the she-wolf gave an agonized cry as the pregnant she-wolf's claws dug into her side and her silver fur turned red with blood.

"I'm not going to kill you just yet…" Dawntail hissed in her ear. "But let this be a warning to you. He still loves me and as long as he does, no she-wolf would stand in my way. If not,"

Sagetail suddenly appeared, his pelt bristling in fury.

Lilyfrost gritted her teeth in pain as Dawntail's claws sank in deeper.

"If not," Dawntail repeated. "These little episodes will get progressively worse…understand?"

Before Lilyfrost can respond, Sagetail barreled into Dawntail, the she-wolf clawing at his eyes. They rolled on the ground for a few minutes until Dawntail separated from Sagetail.

"Get out!" He cried. "Get out, you filthy excuse for a wolf!"

"I would say the same for you!" Dawntail hissed and pelted out of the RainPack camp.

Lilyfrost shakily stood up, coughing weakly.

Sagetail ran towards her, concern flooding in his sage-colored eyes. "You need to see Fernleaf!" He said.

Lilyfrost shook her head and tears started to form in her eyes. "No…"

"But-"

"Leave me alone." Lilyfrost sniffed. "Now."

Sagetail lashed his tail. "Not while you're like this!"

"I said _now_!" Lilyfrost hissed and bared her teeth. She felt like clawing the wolf, but her nature would not let her.

Sagetail frowned and left her, mumbling to himself.

Lilyfrost winced in pain and she looked at the camp entrance, fury boiling in her lilac-colored eyes. "Dawntail…" She breathed to herself. "If it's a fight you want, there's no doubt you'll get one, little missy, because you asked for it and there's no turning back."

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**Where did Buckstar go? Big cliffie here! Please R&R and you all get cookies (I am feeling very generous today and sharing my wonderful cookies to all my faithful reviewers!)**

**-Evanessence**


	27. Chapter 26: One Jump

**Chapter 26 is one of those chapters that a lot happens, but is somewhat shorter than usual. Oh, and here are heaps of cookies for all of you to eat before dinner! Enjoy!**

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Chapter 26- One Jump

Buckstar ran from the entrance, tears stinging his eyes. What had he just done? He had attacked Sagetail. For no reason. He was about to attack his best friend, but luckily she had sidestepped just in time. _In my mind, all I thought was to hurt…to kill…_

He kept running, his paws flying off the ground. _I've become the Darkness…_He thought as he leapt over a log._ I_ am_ it. I couldn't escape it, just like it had said in my dreams…_

He stopped at the pebble-laden edge of the riverbank, his breathing becoming ragged. "I cannot live any longer like this!" He growled into the air. "It's taking over my soul…my body…..my entire _life_!"

He started to cry. "I have to think of the pack first. They cannot have an Alpha like me."

The light brown wolf looked into the river and saw his bandaged, tear-streaked face staring right back at him. "Who have I become?" He asked himself. "Am I Buckstar…or the Darkness?"

He took a deep breath. "I…I deserve to die. I…I can't endanger my friends anymore. They'll be safer when I'm gone…"

He gritted his teeth and looked away from the torrential water. One jump and he would be swept away. "If I'm dead, maybe the Darkness will be gone."

He again looked at his reflection in the water. "StarPack, why have you let me come to this conclusion? You have truly abandoned me!"

He gritted his teeth and bunched his muscles to jump. _I will have to kill myself five times…_he thought. _So be it._

However, he could not do it. He felt his stomach do a double back flip. _Just get it over with, Buckstar_. He told himself. _One jump and it will all be over._

He suddenly felt a cold draft and Rainstripe appeared next to him, her expression grim.

"Are you giving up, Buckstar?" She hissed. "Coward."

Buckstar did not answer and started to tremble uncontrollably. How could she have known he was here?

"Suicide is never the answer. We did not choose this sniveling excuse for a wolf as Alpha of RainPack. We chose Buckstar."

The light brown he-wolf growled. "I can't take it any longer…"

Rainstripe looked saddened. "So you choose to give up instead of fighting it? The Darkness is _not_ you. Your soul is still yours. You have to fight it."

"But how?" Buckstar whined, finally locking eyes with the StarPack wolf.

"Your will has to be stronger than the Darkness, Buckstar. You cannot let it take over your mind."

Buckstar was confused. "My…will?"

Rainstripe suddenly looked faded. "I can't stay any longer."

Buckstar looked into the water again. "My will is gone. It was right. I had to submit to it."

"You _had_ to? Think, Buckstar! Think about your friends, your goals, your hopes and dreams! Think!" She was already disappearing, but before the last glimmer of her starlit fur went out, she whispered, "Remember, StarPack has _not _abandoned you. We are always at your side."

Buckstar stared at his paws. "Think? Think about what? Think about my mate who left me? My best friend who probably doesn't trust me anymore? My whole_ pack_ doesn't trust me anymore! Larksong would be a good Alpha for them. Who would want a homicidal wolf as their leader?" He bunched his muscles, his claws digging into the pebbly rocks.

He still could not do it. He suddenly thought about Dawntail's unborn pups. _His_ unborn pups. _They would have to grow up without me..._he thought. _They would have no wolf to call a father. I…I can't let that happen…_

He backed away from the river. _Rainstripe was right._ He thought. _My will has to overcome the Darkness…it had almost pushed me over the edge, literally, but my pups had saved me. And they're not even born yet! _

He took a deep breath. "This is not over yet, Darkness." He growled. "As long as there's still will left in me, there will be a fight. I cannot let you take over me. It's _my _life to live. Not yours."

Somewhere in his soul, he felt some of the cold hatred disappear with a hiss.

He let out a sigh of relief. "I was about to kill myself…" He growled. "How pathetic is that? I need to live to lead my pack. They had almost lost me once. I won't let that happen to them ever again." He then blinked in realization. "But they must think I'm crazy by now. If only I could explain without digging myself into deeper hole."

"I need to live to see my pups. I need to live for them to see me." He then walked far away from the riverbank and into the forest. He ran to the DreamPool, and he thought he caught a glimpse of Rainstripe's shimmering fur near the ancient oak tree and he cried, "Thank you, Rainstripe, thank you for helping me see the light again!"

The StarPack wolf seemed to smile and disappeared. Buckstar looked around and continued on his way towards the camp, but suddenly a scent in the forest breeze stopped him. It was of dew and wildflowers.

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Dawntail padded up to him.

Buckstar backed away. "What are _you_ doing here?" He growled. "I thought we were 'through'."

She gave a heavy sigh and sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws. "Blackfrost gave you the message, didn't he?"

Buckstar nodded, his eyes narrowed.

She then looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "I'm sorry, Buckstar. I was so stupid to jump into conclusions like that. Lilyfrost is and will be forever more nothing but a friend to you. I was just too…enraged to consider that."

Buckstar flicked his ears. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Is Dawntail…_apologizing _to him?

Dawntail suddenly gave a gasp. "Oh my…did…did _I _do that to you?" She stared at his wounds, her mouth open in disbelief.

"Partly." Buckstar growled.

She started to cry. "Buckstar! I am so, so sorry! I was so mad when I saw you with her! I couldn't help it! Please forgive me!"

Buckstar took a moment to consider this. First Dawntail hates him, and then she pads up to him and begs to have him back? What sort of a cruel joke is this?

"I thought you hated me." He said, his hunter green gaze piercing through her fur.

"Hate you?" She shook her head. "I will do nothing but love you, Buckstar!"

"You didn't say that this morning." The he-wolf snarled.

Dawntail bowed her head. "Oh, I see where this is going. You don't want me anymore."

Buckstar gritted his teeth and sighed. "It's not that I don't…want you, Dawntail, I-"

"Please call me Dawn again, Buckstar. I liked it when you called me that."

Buckstar continued, ignoring her, "You hurt me. Not just physically, but emotionally. I was about to commit suicide, if that is of any interest to you." He growled coldly.

Dawntail gasped. "W-what? You were about to what?"

The Alpha's gaze was icy. "I'm sorry. I just don't feel…loved by you."

Dawntail padded closer to him. "I will love you, Buckstar, like no one else will possibly love you. Don't tell me your love for me has died down! Don't tell me that! Please don't!" She broke into sobs, her whole body wracking fitfully.

Buckstar had to look away from her, his heart painfully splitting in two. He still loved her, he did, but he felt like Dawntail's words were empty promises, just as she said _his_ promises were.

"Buckstar, I can feel the pups already. I think there are two. I am so proud that you are their father…and even if you don't care, I just want you to know," She sniffed as her tears flowed. "Just want you to know that I love you."

Buckstar sniffed, his tears flowing freely now. This was the first time Dawntail had spoken those three words to him and it was as if she was repairing his heart strand by strand. Her words were genuine, he could hear it clearly as day in her smooth voice and he turned his head to her, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I love you _so_ much." She whispered, gazing deep into his eyes. "I…"

"Shh…" Buckstar licked the top of her head and she broke into sobs again. She pushed her muzzle into his chest and he felt her tears soak through his fur. "I love you too, Dawn. I have loved you all along. When you said those horrible words to me, I thought I was going to die right there and then…"

"Forget them." She whispered, looking back up at him. Her black-marked eyes were wet with tears and for once, she looked fragile and helpless. "Forget I even said that."

Buckstar did not reply and just rubbed his neck with hers. He was not sure if he could forget what she said that morning. However, he was sure he will never forget what she said to him right there by the DreamPool, with StarPack looking over them.

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They came back around sundown, their tails intertwined and Dawntail's head resting on Buckstar's uninjured, broad shoulder.

The Alpha looked around the camp and he nudged his mate. "I need to go, Dawn. I'll see you at the Nursery later."

Dawntail nodded and glanced at the Pack Den then back at him. "Just hurry." She left him, her tail high in the air.

Buckstar took a deep breath and padded towards the Pack Den, his head low. He spotted Stormpaw near the entrance and his brother looked away.

"Stormpaw!" Buckstar called him. He ran to the small he-wolf. "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" The apprentice said gruffly, coming out of the Pack Den and shaking his pelt.

Buckstar sighed. "I have to apologize to you about earlier. I-"

Stormpaw stared at him. "You're my brother, Buckstar. I know you're crazy, sometimes even crazier than Redpaw, but you're still my brother. I will always forgive you."

Buckstar's heart soared with pride. He nuzzled his brother affectionately and whispered, "You have done a good thing for RainPack. You have brought us some loyal wolves."

Stormpaw shuffled his forepaws, clearly embarrassed.

"I was never mad at you, I was just…"

"Annoyed?"

"Yeah, that's it. Annoyed."

Stormpaw chucked. "Lilyfrost calls me annoying all the time. It's a wonder she's even my mentor."

Buckstar frowned. He needed to speak with her. Badly. "Speaking of Lilyfrost…where is she?"

"She went hunting with Sagetail, I think." The dark gray and light gray wolf said, flicking his tail.

Buckstar sighed. He was disappointed that he had just missed her, but he also felt an unfamiliar feeling…was it…jealousy? No, it could not be.

Stormpaw suddenly let out a yawn. "I'm going to go see Hollypaw. I'm glad she's in the Healer's Den and not here. She's definitely a thorn in my pelt sometimes."

Buckstar smirked. _He doesn't know how many times she has said that about _him_…_he thought.

"See you later." The apprentice walked past him and into the Healer's Den.

Buckstar watched him go. He has not felt this calm, this…happy in a long time. He sighed and started to groom himself, his long, smooth strokes sifting through his light brown fur. _I still_ _can't believe I was going to kill myself…_he thought. _I would have missed this so terribly. I'm so glad I didn't jump. _

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**What do you think of this chapter, hm? Dawntail actually apologized to Buckstar, but **_**did**_** she really? Please review!**

**-Evanessence**


	28. Chapter 27: Not Perfect Enough

**Cinnamonpool****- -hugs back- Aw! Okay, here's the next chapter for ya (and it was updated a bit quickly too! XD) Plus, your Saga of Cold Flame story is coming along really nicely…keep it up! I haven't got the chance to review that much because…well, I was away for two weeks and computer access was limited…so…yeah. Now that I'm back, expect many reviews signed with an 'E'! ; )**

**Ariana****- How do you**_** know **_**Dawntail's being nice? Is she **_**really**_**? Last time I checked, she was quite the little actress…and don't get me started about Buckstar. Hmph. To put it quite frankly, I'm **_**very**_** disappointed in him. Tsk-tsk!**

**Thanks everyone for your constant reviewing! Without no further a due…**

_**Onto the next chapter!**_

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Chapter 27- Not Perfect Enough

It was nighttime when Buckstar saw Lilyfrost return with Sagetail. She was laughing, her smile radiating with warmth and kindness.

Buckstar's heart sank. He was on his way to the Nursery to visit Dawntail, and he felt a strange twinge of sadness as he watched the two wolves make their way towards the Pack Den.

"That was great, Sagetail!" Buckstar heard Lilyfrost say and the two wolves touched snouts. Buckstar felt a hot wave of that jealousy again.

"I'm glad you liked it." Sagetail whispered and Lilyfrost gave a giggle. Buckstar gritted his teeth.

"Maybe tomorrow we can do it again?" The silver she-wolf asked, her head cocked to the side.

_What are they talking about?_ Buckstar growled in his mind, his claws digging into the ground.

"Only if you're not too busy with Stormpaw…" Sagetail said.

Lilyfrost giggled again. "He could wait another day."

Buckstar shook his head. _She needs to train Stormpaw, not prance around with Sagetail! _He thought bitterly.

"Good night." Sagetail said to Lilyfrost and he touched noses with her.

"Good night to you too." She whispered, so softly that Buckstar could not make out her last words, much to his frustration.

He shook his head again. Why was he eavesdropping on them? It was not his business what they did and did not do! He watched as Lilyfrost slipped inside the lichen covered entrance and Sagetail as he gazed longingly after her.

Still, Buckstar felt that uneasiness crawl up his spine. He took a deep breath and slipped inside the Nursery, careful not to let Sagetail see him, but the light brown wolf was too busy looking at Lilyfrost to notice anything.

Once he was inside the Nursery, Buckstar let go of his breath. What was wrong with him? Seeing Lilyfrost with Sagetail made him feel so…alone, so…he could not put his paw on it, but something else.

He spotted Dawntail in the back of the Nursery and he smiled weakly. _I love Dawntail, and she is the only one for me_. _However, Lilyfrost has always been my friend since I was smaller than Stormpaw…is she starting to replace me? Is someone else going to be her 'guardian angel'?_ He brooded.

He padded up to the light ginger she-wolf, careful not wake up Silentheart and Sparrowfeather as they dozed. Sparrowfeather's tail was wrapped around her pups, who had their newly opened eyes closed shut as they slept.

Dawntail was awake and she smiled as she saw him approach. She sat up and licked his nose. "I was starting to worry."

"I'm here now, Dawn." He whispered and nuzzled her. _I'm here with my mate. What more could I want? Then why can't I stop thinking about Lilyfrost?_

"You want to feel your pups?" She asked him, her blue eyes glittering.

"Huh?" Buckstar cocked his head. His thoughts of the silver she-wolf vanished in an instant.

"Yeah, here," Dawntail softly lied down on her side and gestured to her stomach with her tail. "Feel my flank."

He looked doubtful.

She chuckled. "Go on."

He gently placed a paw on her ginger flank and jumped back in surprise. He had felt…something!

"Oh, you silly wolf, you're supposed to keep your paw _on_ my stomach. They sure kick when you're around."

Buckstar gulped and put his paw against her flank once again. She gave a stifled moan as he felt tiny paws kick against his paw, and he gasped. There was really life inside his mate! He felt a sudden rush of paternal pride course through his body, from his head to the tip of his tail. These were truly _his _pups!

"It's…beautiful…" He breathed.

"It is." Dawntail whispered and sighed, closing her eyes.

Buckstar put both his paws on her white underbelly and he could feel it. Two little bodies were inside, squirming as if they wanted to escape Dawntail's body that very instant.

"Does it hurt?" He asked her, staring at her flank.

"It just feels weird." She replied and gritted her teeth. "Though it does get annoying sometimes. You he-wolves are so glad you don't have to go through this."

Buckstar tore away from her stomach and lied down next to her. He touched noses with her and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I feel as if I'm having the pups too."

Dawntail let out a small chuckle. "You make me laugh, Bucky."

"It's true." He said with a shrug. "I guess I just worry too much about you and-"

She sighed and nuzzled his shoulder. The cobwebs had fallen off and his newly healed injuries were only dull, aching reminders by now. "I'm just glad you're back here by my side, Buckstar."

"I'm glad too, Dawn." He whispered and put his head on her back. "I love you." He whispered.

She did not respond. She had fallen asleep, her plump flank rising and falling in rhythm.

He snuggled closer to her and licked her ear. He closed his eyes and succumbed into the dark world of sleep.

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A few moons had passed and the Darkness had not bothered him. Life seemed perfect for him right there and then, but not perfect enough.

Buckstar was stretched on top of the HighRock, dozing in the warmth of the sun. It has gotten cold recently and the leaves on the trees are starting to change.

"Autumn is here." Dawntail whispered, sprawled out beside him. Her stomach had gotten significantly bigger and she was starting to stay in the Nursery for a longer period than usual.

"That means it'll start snowing soon." Buckstar mumbled softly and licked the top of her ears.

Dawntail sighed. "That means I'll be having these pups too."

Buckstar smiled. "I can't wait to see what they look like." He said lazily.

"I just want them out already." Dawntail grumbled.

Buckstar chuckled and nuzzled her. "Just wait. It will be sooner than you think."

Dawntail stayed quiet.

Buckstar looked below him and saw Lilyfrost picking a sparrow out of the fresh-kill pile. His pelt prickled. He and the she-wolf have grown apart ever since the Darkness had overcome him and he tried to attack her. Sagetail appeared next to her and nuzzled her flank. _It seems that he-wolf is always around her._ He thought bitterly. _Just like the annoying little fly he is._

"I think he's her mate." He heard Dawntail mumble and she buried her muzzle into his neck.

Buckstar felt an uneasy feeling in his heart for some reason. "Really?"

"Haven't you noticed them lately? They're…inseparable."

Buckstar looked again at the scene. Lilyfrost had walked away from Sagetail and slipped out of the camp entrance, leaving the sparrow untouched. Sagetail looked on, a frown on his face. _It looks like Lilyfrost's not interested…_he thought curiously.

Dawntail, though, looked content. "I'm glad that she-wolf has finally found a mate. She was miserable, the poor thing."

Buckstar was grim. "She doesn't seem to like him very much."

Dawntail smirked and rolled over, playfully pawing Buckstar's flank. "Don't worry, Sagetail's a great he-wolf. It scares me how much you two are alike."

"So much alike that we could be twins." Buckstar mumbled.

"Right." Dawntail sighed. "I'm going to go into the Nursery. Sparrowfeather probably wants me to look after her pups again. Silentheart's barely able to lift a paw because she's so fat with her pups, so I'm the only one."

"Rambunctious, aren't they?" Buckstar chucked.

Dawntail sat up and nodded. "They're going to be apprentices soon, I hope."

"A few more moons and then I'll consider it."

"Consider it?" Dawntail was confused. "They need to be apprenticed! They've been in the Nursery for far too long! I-"

Buckstar sat up and licked her muzzle, stopping her flow of words. "I'm just kidding. Of course I'll make them apprentices, obviously much to every pup-bringers' liking."

"Thank you. For a moment there you had me worried." Dawntail breathed.

Buckstar licked her affectionately.

Dawntail smirked. "I'll get you for that one, you naughty wolf. You'll see." She then climbed down the HighRock and slipped into the Nursery.

Buckstar chuckled to himself and blinked sleepily. Not much has happened since the Darkness had taken over him, and every wolf had gotten lazy. The cold weather is settling in and every wolf is out trying to get the last bit of the sun before the weather truly starts to turn frigid.

He saw Hollypaw, Redpaw and Stormpaw asleep in front of the Pack Den, with Hawkflight watching them lazily, his eyes half-closed. Larksong and Sparrowfeather were grooming each other by the tree in front of the Nursery and Dawntail had herded the couple's pups outside, the threesome jumping around excitedly around her paws. Silentheart slipped out behind her, her extremely pregnant belly bulging out from each side.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fernleaf disappear through the camp entrance. _Out collecting herbs, probably._ Buckstar thought with a yawn. Then a thought came back to him. The prophecy.

_Argh, not that again._ He thought bitterly and gritted his teeth_. It's still haunting me like a bad nightmare. I'll go see if Twilightpaw's figured anything out. She's probably in the Healer's Den, like always. _

Buckstar jumped down from the rock and stretched luxuriously. Blackfrost had appeared behind him, causing him to involuntarily jump in surprise.

The warrior's ice blue eyes looked undeterred. "I'm sorry." He grumbled and brushed past him to go to the Nursery.

Buckstar watched him go with narrowed eyes. _He's going to see Silentheart._ The Alpha thought and was surprised when the black warrior did not go to his mate, instead walking straight past her to Dawntail.

Buckstar's claws dug into the ground. _What is he doing with her?_ He thought angrily. Blackfrost whispered something in Dawntail's ear and she nodded, quickly returning to the pups. Silentheart looked crestfallen as her mate walked past her again, not even bothering to even glance at her. He slipped into the Pack Den, his black tail like a shadow against the swaying lichen. Silentheart bowed her head and buried her muzzle into her chest.

Buckstar was about to go to the Nursery to see what that was all about, when a light cough interrupted him. He turned around and saw Twilightpaw, her midnight eyes clouded.

"Twilightpaw…you're out of the Healer's Den. W-What's wrong?"

"Come." She growled and led him to the Healer's Den.

Buckstar's ears flicked forward in surprise and he followed her as she slithered inside, her light brown pelt disappearing into the darkness as if her pelt was made of darkness itself. He shivered. That reminded him too much of the real Darkness.

She sat down by the pool and stared at him. She neatly wrapped her tail around her paws and started, "It's about the prophecy…"

"I was just about to come in to talk about that." Buckstar said. "I-"

"This is serious, Buckstar. I have found out something that could endanger RainPack."

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**What's Twilightpaw got up her sleeve…er…pelt? And what's up with Dawntail and Blackfrost? **_**And **_**Lilyfrost and Sagetail? Until next time I update!**

**-Evanessence**


	29. Chapter 28: The Prophetic Fate

**Ariana- It's okay! ; )**

**Here's chapter 28!**

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Chapter 28- The Prophetic Fate

"W-What do you mean?" Buckstar gasped.

Twilightpaw sighed. "I…I think the flower in the prophecy means Lilyfrost, since a lily_ is_ a flower…"

Buckstar cocked his head in confusion. "Lilyfrost? Lilyfrost and I come together? She's not even my mate!"

The Healer apprentice blinked at him. "That's why it's so confusing. You're her best friend, right?"

Buckstar's eyes shadowed. "I don't know anymore."

Twilightpaw appeared surprised. "Uh…"

The Alpha sighed. "Move on with the rest of the prophecy."

"Well, the 'dawn will break' part could be about Dawntail…"

Buckstar nodded. "That seems logical. But _what_ will she break?"

Twilightpaw shrugged. "Whatever you and Lilyfrost will do, I guess." When she saw Buckstar's mood change again, she abruptly continued, "the 'blood will rule the stars' part is what troubles me. I still can't figure it out…but I have a guess…"

Buckstar gave a small nod, his thoughts still on Lilyfrost.

"I think there will be some sort of fight and probably at night."

"A fight?" Buckstar asked with a gasp.

Twilightpaw nodded. "Yes."

"That…can't be true. We don't have any enemies."

Twilightpaw gave a shudder. "How about the Darkness?"

Buckstar gritted his teeth. "Now_ that's_ true…"

Twilightpaw sighed and her shoulder sagged. "I guess all we _can_ do is wait for another sign. There is no way to figure this prophecy out if we don't even know what half of it means."

Buckstar nodded his agreement and got up. "Thanks, Twilightpaw." He licked the top of her head.

"Y-you're welcome." The Healer apprentice stammered, obviously taken by surprise with his sudden gesture.

Buckstar smiled and left the Healer's Den. He looked around, and for some reason, he felt disappointed to see Sagetail sitting by himself by the stream, flicking his tail lazily across the water. His mood suddenly worsened.

He took a deep, shaky breath. _Why am I so infuriated with Sagetail_? He asked himself. _He should be the one who's infuriated, not me. For StarPack's sake, I_ attacked_ him. _

_He's paying special attention to Lilyfrost, that's what._ He thought angrily. _It's like she doesn't need me anymore. If that's so, then so be it. No wonder she's not speaking to me anymore. She's too busy spending time with her new 'guardian angel'._

His heart felt as if it was slowly being torn in two._ If she doesn't need me, then why do I still feel like I need _her_? Not as a mate, but as a friend. Dawntail may not be enough for me. _

Suddenly, a nudge to his shoulder interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello, Buckstar." Larksong said, a smile on his face.

Buckstar dipped his head. "Larksong, I didn't expect you now. I thought you were with Sparrowfeather."

The Beta wolf shrugged. "She's busy with the pups. They're getting big already. I can't believe they're almost ready to be apprenticed!"

"Speaking of apprentices…" Buckstar started. "Have you thought of any mentors?"

Larksong looked confused. "Mentors?"

"Parents choose their pups' mentors. After my approval, of course."

Larksong raised a brow. "Really?"

Buckstar nodded.

Larksong's ice blue eyes were full of thought. "Well…I would like an apprentice…see, you and Hollypaw, you both make me a bit envious…"

The Alpha nodded again. "That sounds like a good idea."

"And maybe Hawkflight. He seems loyal enough now."

Buckstar turned his head to the dark ginger warrior, who now fell asleep in front of the Pack Den. _Would he make a good mentor?_ The light brown wolf thought.

"How about Blackfrost? He was once a Beta wolf like me."

Buckstar blinked in surprise. "Blackfrost?" He asked. The black wolf had only been here for a short time and…Buckstar did not know why, but he still could not find the trust he needed in the wolf.

Larksong looked worried. "Is there…something wrong with him?"

Buckstar sighed. "It's just…I don't know, but there's something odd about that wolf. I don't like him."

Larksong cocked his head in confusion. "I think he's a great warrior, Buckstar. He's given me some great advice on being a Beta wolf."

"Has he really?" Buckstar seemed doubtful.

Larksong looked at the ground. "Well…_some_ good advice. There's some things he said that worry me."

"Like what?" The Alpha was curious now. He was wondering what the black warrior_ really_ was like, not just the mysterious wolf that he _appeared _to be.

Larksong opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a howl broke in the camp. It was loud…and desperate.

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Fernleaf crashed through the camp entrance, her fur bristling and green eyes blazing wildly.

Buckstar ran up to her. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"W-wolves! A lot of them! They-" She took a moment to regain her breath. "They took Lilyfrost!"

"_What?_" Buckstar screeched.

"Did you see who they are?" Larksong asked her, running up to Buckstar's side.

"N-no, I couldn't see very well." The Healer stammered. "We have to go get her back! They are bloodthirsty, savage wolves!"

Buckstar dug his claws into the earth in fury._ If she's harmed in any way, those wolves will pay _dearly_!_ He turned to Larksong. "Gather the most wolves you can, we may have to fight to get her back!"

Larksong nodded obediently and shot off into the clearing, barking out orders.

"What did they do?" Buckstar asked Fernleaf.

She trembled. "It was horrible! I was walking along by the SkyTree, collecting some juniper when I saw her. She was hunting alone, and all of the sudden I saw some wolves…no a whole _pack_ of wolves jump on her-"

"A whole _pack_?" Buckstar gaped. He thought RainPack was the last remaining pack.

Fernleaf nodded. "They kept shouting something about the Darkness." She suddenly moaned.

"What? What's wrong?" The Alpha pressed the Healer.

"Buckstar, I think it's one of_ those_ packs." She whimpered, her eyes growing fearful. "The ones that Rainstripe mentioned a few moons ago…remember?"

Buckstar's heart sank. _They must have come to destroy us, just as Rainstripe had also warned us about! But…how could they have known of us so quickly?_

"I think you were having those…attacks because they were so near you."

"I don't know. All I'm concerned about now is getting Lilyfrost back." Buckstar growled. "They were by the SkyTree, right? The wolves, I mean."

"Yes." Fernleaf nodded. "I'll go and get Twilightpaw. We have to be ready in case this does not turn out for the best."

"We'll try to negotiate first." Buckstar sighed. "Then if we have to, we'll use tooth and claw."

"Negotiate? These are savage wolves, Buckstar!" Fernleaf cried. "They thirst for blood! They said it so when they took Lilyfrost!"

Buckstar opened his mouth to say something, but Fernleaf left him and slipped into the Healer's Den, lashing her tail behind her and mumbling under her breath.

Larksong came back, Hawkflight, Blackfrost, Hollypaw, Stormpaw, Redpaw and Sagetail following him.

_We are still not enough!_ Buckstar thought in despair. _And I can't have Hollypaw and Stormpaw going, they aren't trained yet! Oh StarPack, help me!_

"They took her?" Sagetail suddenly roared. "I'll rip out their hearts one by one if they even put a single claw on her!"

The light brown he-wolf looked like he had something else to say, but Larksong quickly shushed him.

"Buckstar's giving us the orders," the Beta wolf growled, "so let him speak!"

The Alpha nodded. _Would Sagetail really do such a thing for Lilyfrost? _He thought._ I know _I _would…even though she's shunning me like this, I _would_ still do it…for her…_He shook his head. _Enough brooding! Focus back on the situation, Buckstar! _He scolded himself.

He turned to the group of three apprentices. "Hollypaw and Stormpaw, stay to guard the camp-"

"What?" Stormpaw hissed. "I want to fight!"

"Yeah!" Hollypaw growled, lashing her black tail angrily. "Me too!"

Buckstar growled angrily at them. "This is not a choice, it's an order!"

Stormpaw bared his teeth. "Why?"

Larksong was about to cuff the apprentice, but Buckstar was faster.

"You two are not trained enough, so stay! The wolves may come here and attack the pup-bringers and pups!"

Hollypaw backed away, understanding flickering in her eyes. "I'll protect them." She said, bowing her head.

"Make sure Sparrowfeather doesn't worry." Larksong told her.

"Don't worry, father. I will." The black apprentice said.

"Dawntail too." Buckstar added, flicking his tail.

Hollypaw nodded to him and rushed to the Nursery.

Buckstar watched her tail disappear into the lichen. _She's one step closer to being a warrior if she keeps thinking like that!_ He thought. _Stormpaw, however…_

The dark gray and light gray apprentice looked at his brother. "How come Redpaw gets to go?" He growled, pointing his muzzle at the russet-red apprentice.

Redpaw looked surprised that he was singled out and he opened his mouth to say something back to Stormpaw, but Buckstar let out an irritated bark, stopping him.

The apprentice's blue eyes lit with some understanding and whispered something into Sagetail's ear and the wolf nodded. His apprentice bounded into the Pack Den. Stormpaw stared after him quizzically, his head cocked to the side.

"Enough of this!" Buckstar hissed and turned to his Beta wolf. "Larksong, make sure Stormpaw says! Let's go!" Without another word, he pelted out of the camp, the Beta wolf shoving back the apprentice before he leapt after the Alpha.

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Buckstar led the RainPack wolves through the forest, their thundering paws echoing around their sensitive ears. The Alpha's eyes were clouded in fury. _How dare they take a RainPack wolf hostage?_ He hissed. _This is _our _territory, for StarPack's sake!_

Sagetail suddenly came up beside him, his hard breathing tickling Buckstar's ear. "Let me claw the eyes out of the wolf who took her!" He growled.

"I can't let you do that." Buckstar hissed, angry at the he-wolf with being so protective of the she-wolf. _He should know that Lilyfrost is a very capable she-wolf…she can take care of herself. But this is a threat to RainPack. We have to get her back._

"Why not?" Sagetail asked angrily. "She's probably in danger!" He then let out a whine. "They could have killed her!"

"Stop thinking like that!" Buckstar snarled. "She's alive and we're going to bring her back home unscathed!"

"How do _you _know?" Sagetail growled. "You're the one who wanted to attack her in the first place, remember? Or was it all just a _dream_?" He sneered and drew back before Buckstar could say anything.

The Alpha gritted his teeth. _How would _he _know what's going on? _He thought angrily. _His head is as thick as a bear's. I doubt _any_ explanation would satisfy him. _

He suddenly came to a halt, almost causing the wolves behind him to crash into him.

"What's going on?" Larksong hissed from behind the Alpha.

"Shh!" Buckstar hissed. Almost five tail-lengths ahead of him, he saw a black wolf. For a second, he thought of Blackfrost, but the he-wolf was behind him, as he could tell by the hot breath tickling his neck, besides Larksong's.

"It's a trespasser!" Blackfrost hissed.

The strange black wolf flicked his ears. It probably heard Blackfrost's hushed whisper.

Buckstar felt the constant thudding of his rapidly pounding heart as the wolf slowly looked around, searching for unseen foes. _He can't see us…thank StarPack._

Suddenly, the wolf looked their way. Buckstar froze. The wolf had unnatural, blazing blood-red eyes and he blinked them a few times, trying to see through their hiding place. It made Buckstar's blood turn ice cold.

He felt Larksong give a gasp.

Fortunately, the wolf turned his red gaze away from where the RainPack wolves were hiding. He had missed them. He mumbled to himself and leapt into the bushes away from the group.

"That…was _not _normal." Larksong whimpered, his muscles still tense.

"We have to follow him." Buckstar growled.

"Are you insane?" Hawkflight hissed from behind the Alpha. "You saw him. He looks like the kind of wolf I definitely don't want to mess with. Ever."

"But he has Lilyfrost!" Buckstar growled. "We _have _to follow him."

Sagetail surprisingly came to his aid. "He's right. We have to go and rescue her."

Larksong looked fearful. "Did you see his _eyes_ though?"

"Eyes are not what make a wolf, Larksong." Buckstar said. "Though I've got to admit. It _was _really strange that he had _those_ colored eyes." _Almost as if he _was_ the Darkness…_he thought in despair.

"That's why I think this is a bad idea." Larksong growled.

"What did I tell you about being a Beta, Larksong?" Blackfrost asked, stepping beside Buckstar to face the black and white wolf. "Do Betas have fear?"

Buckstar looked at the black wolf curiously.

"No, Blackfrost. No they do not." Larksong suddenly puffed out his chest and tilted his head towards the sky. "Betas do not have fear. I will go as long as you go, Buckstar."

Buckstar nodded. "Every second we waste here might cost Lilyfrost her life. Let's go!"

The wolves murmured their agreement and they followed the Alpha as he ran after the mysterious red-eyed wolf.

* * *

**Hmm…this chapter raises a lot of questions, doesn't it? R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	30. Chapter 29: A Rude Welcome

**Ariana- No problem. I'm usually a quite forgiving person…sometimes…and yeah, I rock XD**

**Cinnamonpool- Don't jump to conclusions!**

**Evershine- That's okay! Like I said, I'm forgiving…sometimes. Only when someone steals my cookies, then they'll feel Evanessence's Wrath! –growls and clutches at cookies protectively-**

**I'm going to start doing these little replies to your reviews at the beginning of each chapter because you guys are so awesome! –awards awesomeness medals to all my reviewers-**

**This is an interesting chapter, where we finally get to see who the freakishly red-eyed wolf really is. Take my word for it; his character is pretty cute…in a weird sort of way!**

* * *

Chapter 29- A Rude Welcome

Buckstar plundered through the undergrowth, following the scent of the wolf. It was also a rather strange scent. It was a mixture of dirt, some sort of musky scent and…Buckstar shivered. Blood.

The RainPack wolves following him were growing uneasy. They were reaching the farthest limits of their border. The river sounded in their ears and the tree-bridge loomed out in front of them. With a flick of his tail, Buckstar stopped the group. He caught sight of the wolf jumping off the log and then it disappeared into the untracked forest beyond.

"He got away." Larksong hissed.

"Not yet." Buckstar ran to the tree-bridge and jumped onto it. He looked back at the wolves and frowned, seeing their uncertainty. Their fear-scent hung heavily in the air and Buckstar barked.

"We didn't come all this way just to have a sudden change of heart! Let's go!"

"But, Buckstar, we haven't explored the area over there yet." Larksong argued.

Buckstar looked back at the bushes where he last saw the black wolf.

"It doesn't matter." Buckstar shifted his gaze back to the wolves and raised a brow as he saw Sagetail take a step forward. He was the one who spoke. "We're talking about a fellow packmate." He stressed.

"He's right!" Buckstar growled.

Larksong sighed. "Lead the way."

Buckstar crossed the bridge; his fears vanishing as he leapt off the log, the wolves following after. He crashed through the unfamiliar territory, his nose high in the air as he sniffed.

After a few minutes of blind navigation, they stopped.

"Where did he go?" Hawkflight growled.

Buckstar looked around, but all he could see was trees, the occasional shrub and…more trees.

"This is hopeless." Blackfrost sighed angrily.

"Nothing is hopeless, Blackfrost!" Larksong snapped. "We just have to put our faith in Buckstar."

Buckstar smirked. _No pressure._ He thought.

Suddenly a rustle of leaves a few tail-lengths away caught their attention.

"Who's there?" Sagetail snarled, his hackles rising. A head popped out of the undergrowth. It was a black she-wolf. Immediately, Buckstar thought of Hollypaw, but this wolf had deep purple eyes.

"My, what do we have here?" she growled as she stepped out; revealing her lithe, black form. She looked like a shadow against the harsh green of the vegetation.

Buckstar bared his teeth. She was a total stranger to him, but she did not seem like the type of wolf that would just let them slip by.

The she-wolf shifted her eyes to him and she smiled, her white teeth like a speck of snow against the darkness of her coat. "What happened, prey got your tongue?"

"We're-" Larksong started, but Buckstar slapped his tail over the wolf's muzzle, making him give a wince.

"Loners." The Alpha finished.

The she-wolf raised a brow. "Uh…huh."

"He's right." Hawkflight growled.

Buckstar gritted his teeth. "Stay quiet!" He hissed.

Hawkflight bowed his head in shame.

The black she-wolf shrugged. "It's pretty hard to believe, seeing a bunch of _he-wolves_ traveling all together, but I've seen it before."

Buckstar gulped.

"My name is Violet." She said, flicking her tail.

Buckstar opened his mouth but quickly shut it. He was about to say Buckstar, but he suddenly remembered that the 'star' part of his name could reveal his pack identity. "Buck." He said.

Violet narrowed her eyes. She could sense his hesitation. "And your friends?" She asked, flicking her tail to the others.

"Larkso-" Larksong caught himself, thank StarPack. "Lark."

"Hawk." Hawkflight said.

"Sage."

"Black?" Blackfrost looked confused.

Violet was stunned. "Black? What an awful name."

Blackfrost bared his teeth. "I'm named after my grandfather, so I suggest you keep your insults to yourself, she-wolf."

Violet's neck bristled. "Alright _Black_," She hissed, "it looks like you and the rest of your packmates have to come with me."

Buckstar's mouth gaped. How could she have known that they belonged in a pack?

Violet's muzzle exploded into a smile again and answered his question as if she could read his mind. "Oh, we know all about you and your pack, _Buckstar_."

Buckstar dug his claws into the earth in frustration. "Really?" was all he could manage to spurt out in his surprise.

Violet sat down, as if she did not notice she was outnumbered five to one. "Oh, yes." She started to lick her paw. "Wherever the Darkness goes, we follow."

"Oh, boy." Blackfrost growled.

Violet turned her head at him, her violet-colored eyes blazing. "Do you have a problem with that, _Black_?" She sneered.

Blackfrost curled his lip in anger. "You're right. I do."

Violet got up, lashing her tail angrily. "Shade will deal with all of you and your 'pack'."

"Shade?"

"Our leader. The Supreme One." Violet chuckled. "He shows no mercy."

Buckstar grimaced. "The Supreme One?"

Violet nodded.

"You're not taking us _anywhere_." Sagetail growled, lashing his tail angrily.

Buckstar shot him a warning look, but Violet smiled. "Oh, really?"

The Alpha glared at the she-wolf. "These wolves aren't going anywhere without my command." He growled.

Violet blinked at him a few times, almost flirtatiously, quickly reminding Buckstar of Dawntail. "C'mon out, boys." She trilled, looking somewhere behind her. "Buckstar wants to play."

Buckstar gasped as three wolves came out of the bushes, their teeth bared and long claws digging into the earth. One of them was the unusual black wolf that they had first seen.

"No." He heard Hawkflight hiss.

"That b-" Blackfrost started to swear, but one of the he-wolves let out a growl.

"Violet, you disobeyed my orders!" A large, muscular dark brown he-wolf spoke, stepping out to confront the wolves.

Buckstar shivered. This wolf was almost twice his size and Buckstar was_ already_ oversized for his age.

"Oh, Tiger." Violet sighed. "I just wanted to play with them a little."

"But you still disobeyed me." He shouldered his way though the rest of the wolves until he was face to face with the she-wolf.

Violet abruptly licked his muzzle. "You know following orders is not my way."

Tiger scowled and pulled away from her. "I noticed that a long time ago."

Violet smiled, obviously pleased with some inside joke of hers.

Buckstar looked around, looking for a chance to escape.

Tiger must have noticed his sudden anxiety and he snapped at the Alpha. "You're not going anywhere!" He barked angrily.

Buckstar bared his teeth. He will _not_ be ordered around as if he was some pup! He was an Alpha, for StarPack's sake! Who does this wolf think he is?

The dark brown wolf turned back to Violet. "I told you to not mention we knew about their pack life!" He growled to her.

Violet smirked. "I guess I ruined all the fun, huh?"

Tiger sighed and turned back to the other wolves.

"We still outnumber them." Larksong whispered in Buckstar's ear.

Buckstar realized that the Beta wolf was right. The strange group of wolves only had four wolves, while they still had five.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you." Tiger growled, flexing his long claws.

"Yeah," one of the other wolves said menacingly, the smallest of the group, "if you all value your guts."

Tiger whipped around to the wolf and suddenly slashed at his muzzle. "Shut up!" He roared.

The wolf cowered and whimpered in pain, blood running to the ground from his wound.

"Aw, Tiger." Violet cooed, walking up to the he-wolf's side. "Don't hurt the little pup."

The wounded wolf let out a defiant growl. "Pup?"

Tiger smirked. "And what else would you call yourself, Flint?" He kicked at the wolf and he yelped.

"A-alright." Flint staggered to get up, his gray coat dusty and dull. "You're right." He did not look much older than Buckstar, yet Flint had a much smaller frame, making him look like he was still a pup.

Buckstar felt Hawkflight scoot away from the group, his paws barely touching the ground.

"Hey!" The red-eyed wolf suddenly growled, his voice like thunder. "Feather-head is getting away!"

Before anyone could act, Hawkflight shot off towards the way they had come, his dark ginger tail flickering out of sight.

"Let him go, Rage." Tiger hissed. "He probably won't make it."

"What do you mean?" Buckstar whirled towards the dark brown he-wolf.

"Enough chatting." He answered, much to the Alpha's frustration. "Shade is expecting you."

Buckstar gritted his teeth. _Who exactly is this 'Shade'?_ He thought angrily, but before he could say anything, the wolves started to shove them into the bushes. Buckstar's eyes caught a glimpse of Hawkflight's amber ones before the strange wolves whisked them away into the unknown.

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Buckstar pulled himself away from Rage, who positioned himself next to him.

"I can walk on my own, thanks." He growled, looking at his paws as they moved across the mossy forest ground.

Rage narrowed his scary, blood red eyes. "Sorry, no can do, Mr. Alpha. Tiger gave Rage orders, and Rage follows them."

Buckstar furrowed his brows. _This wolf doesn't seem very smart._ He thought. _Maybe I can slip away from him easily. _He looked back at the others, who were struggling with their own captives. When he got to Violet, on the other paw, she seemed to be enjoying Sagetail's company, though the he-wolf himself was trying to distance himself from her as far away as possible.

_I can't leave them behind._ Buckstar thought determinedly. _I just have to tough this one out. There's no way these wolves are going to take over my pack. Not while _I'm_ still alive. _

Rage got closer to him again. "I see big wolf no like red eyes, hm?"

Buckstar turned his head away from the black wolf. He did not reply, seeing that_ indeed_ looking into Rage's eyes seemed to give him shivers.

Rage let out a chuckle. "Red eyes scary, huh? Rage born with red eyes. Mommy thought it was bad omen. Shade, Supreme One, says will bring Rage much good luck."

Buckstar gritted his teeth. _This wolf has a pup's intelligence!_ He thought. _Oh,_ _I see, all brawn and no brain. _

"Much good luck, eh?" Flint said from the back, guarding Larksong. "Funny. I never saw much luck happening."

Rage seemed undeterred. "Pup no smart. Rage had much luck."

Buckstar heard Flint scoff. "Oh yeah, I'm definitely the lowest here on the intelligence level."

Buckstar stifled a laugh, despite the current situation. These wolves had nothing in common; it was hard for Buckstar to imagine that they are in a pack.

"Shut up." Tiger growled from his place next to Blackfrost.

_I hope Hawkflight arrived at the RainPack camp safely!_ Buckstar thought desperately. The wolves suddenly stopped.

"W-what's _that_?" Larksong gasped.

Buckstar squinted at the harsh glare of the sunlight that suddenly came upon them. When his hunter green eyes finally adjusted, he gaped in awe.

Tiger padded up next to the frozen Alpha and he puffed his chest proudly at the sight before them. "Welcome to the DarkDen, RainPack wolves."

* * *

**Ah, it seems everyone has stumbled upon the DarkDen. But what**_** is**_** it? Warning: Major cliffhanger! Approach with caution!**

**-Evanessence**


	31. Chapter 30: A Dark Life

**Cinnamonpool- **

**E: Oh, a Coldblood, huh? Well, uh, um, I've got Dawntail! –looks at Dawntail- Go get Cinnamonpool! **

**Dawntail: -looks up and blinks-**

**E: Uh, go on! Run! Do something! **

**Dawntail: -growls threateningly at E- **

**E: Uh, nevermind, gotta go! –runs away-**

**Dawntail: -mutters to herself- Chased off by her own character? How pathetic.**

**xXxForgottenskyxXx- -takes Chocolatechip and hugs him- Aw, thank you! I will love you forever and ever and…-quickly eats Chocolatechip- Woops, sorry! Uh-oh, now Cococlan and Darkchocolate is angry! I swear I DID NOT EAT THE COOKIE! Where is the justice in this world? Ahh! –gets chocolatized by the Cococlan warriors and DARK chocolatized by Darkchocolate-**

**Ariana- Thanks! Oh, no evil food or beings after me this time? Phew! Thanks!**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- Yay, fireworks! I love fireworks! Anyone got some matches I could…borrow? Heh-heh. **

**Evershine- Yes, I have found my true soul mate! I love you Cliffies! –hugs Cliffies- **

**Okay, this chapter is where we get to find out what the DarkDen is. The description is pretty confusing, I know, but if you read it a couple of times, I hope you'll get it! –crosses fingers- Go ahead and read!**

* * *

Chapter 30- A Dark Life

It was nothing like Buckstar had ever seen before. They were in a grassy clearing and in front of them loomed a large, cave structure that seemed to pop out of the ground. It was covered by some sort of gray, wood-like material and the strange walls felt like they were going to collapse on themselves. There was a kind of shiny substance that coated the top on the DarkDen, and several holes gaped out of the walls.

"What is this place?" Sagetail whispered fearfully.

Tiger and the others nudged them closer. "C'mon, we don't have all day." He led them to a large hole in the center of the den, the one closest to the ground.

"I'm not going in there!" Larksong growled, lagging behind.

"Oh, yes you are." Flint barked and gave him an extra powerful shove.

"Leave him." Tiger growled, making the gray wolf look at him in bewilderment. "And leave the rest of them too. Shade only asked for the Alpha."

"What?" Larksong suddenly cried, running up to Buckstar's side. "Buckstar's not going in there alone!"

"I thought you was scared." Rage taunted him.

Larksong bared his teeth at him. "When my Alpha's in danger, I will risk my life to protect him."

Buckstar smiled wanly and put his tail on the Beta's shoulders. "Just listen to him." He whispered in the black and white wolf's ear. "I'll be alright. I'll try to talk my way out of here and with Lilyfrost too."

"How are you going to do that?" Larksong whined.

Buckstar furrowed his brows. "I'll find a way."

Tiger stepped in between them. "Now if you're all done chit-chattin', we'll get on with it."

"Alright, alright." Buckstar sighed. "Lead the way."

Tiger let out a huff.

"Tell Daddy I said hi." Violet said to him as she slithered his way. She flicked her tail on his shoulder and giggled.

Tiger let out a grumble. "I'll make sure to do that."

Violet laughed and bounded to Sagetail's side, who did not look all too happy to see her back.

Tiger turned back to the others. "Make sure they stay here."

"Got it, Tiger." Rage growled.

Flint just gave an inaudible mumble, licked his paw and placed it on his still bleeding wound.

Tiger placed his tail on Buckstar's shoulder as he led him ever closer to the strange den. The Alpha took one last look at his packmates before vanishing into the darkness.

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Buckstar felt uneasy as he padded into the DarkDen. He was surrounded by the wooden walls and there was just a dim light from the hole, the one that they entered through, to light their way through. Tiger nudged him to keep moving forward, and reluctantly he padded on, his paws stepping on a strange, maroon-colored, coarse moss.

He felt stares burn through his fur as Tiger led him through the DarkDen. He dared to sniff and a wave of fear-scent hit his nostrils, along with several, unidentifiable mucky odors.

"Ah, my…guest has arrived." A voice boomed through the den and a silver he-wolf suddenly came into view, a crooked smile on his face. He had a long, jagged scar running down his left eye and Buckstar gritted his teeth. He heard something about that before, but he could not quite put his paw on where.

"Violet says hi." Tiger suddenly growled.

The silver he-wolf looked at him and sighed. "You'll have to excuse my daughter, Buckstar. She can be…difficult."

Buckstar flicked his ears.

"Go on, Tiger." The he-wolf told the dark brown wolf. "I have to show Buckstar around."

Tiger bowed his head. "Yes, Supreme One." With that, he bounded back outside the large hole.

Buckstar bared his teeth. "What am I doing here?"

The silver wolf looked surprised.

"You aren't going to take me prisoner!"

The wolf chuckled, much to Buckstar's annoyance. "Oh no, my dear wolf. I am not going to take you prisoner. I just need to-"

Buckstar let out a stiff bark. "Then why make me go alone?"

The he-wolf gave a sigh. "To get your undivided attention, Buckstar."

"How do you all know my name?" Buckstar snarled.

"We've known for a long time." Then he chuckled again. "Oh how silly of me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Shade, BloodPack's first-in-command."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. "BloodPack?"

"Yes." Shade said, his voice flat. "Is there…anything wrong?"

"It's just the fact that you have taken one of our wolves hostage, that's all. There's nothing wrong with that, right?" Buckstar growled sarcastically.

Shade's ice blue eyes glittered. "Ah, I see. We'll talk about that later when we're well on our way."

"No!" Buckstar roared. "Tell me where she is!"

"Be patient, dear Alpha." His voice was as cold as ice. "She's safe."

"I don't trust you."

"I know. I guess trust has be put aside for now. I-"

Buckstar let out a growl. "I don't know if I'm surrounded by friends…or enemies."

Shade smiled crookedly. "Let's just say you're surrounded by…acquaintances."

"I don't like the fact that I'm surrounded at all."

"Too bad. Follow me." Shade flicked his tail and padded away into the darkness.

Buckstar had no choice but to follow him, his paws starting to get sore from the springy floor. _What is this moss?_ He thought angrily. He felt Shade give a turn and he followed, feeling the wooden walls bump against his fur, leaving painful splinters behind. The Alpha gave an annoyed grumble.

As he followed the wolf down the hall, eyes followed them, some curious and even some begging, greatly surprising him. A small light brown she-wolf peered through one of the strange holes that gaped in the wall. The scent of milk suddenly hit Buckstar's nostrils.

"The Cub Den." Shade said shortly. "The she-wolves give birth and take care of the Young Ones there."

The small puppy blinked at Buckstar then disappeared back into the darkness. Shade flicked his tail to another hole in the wall farther down, but this time it had a sort of hard, white cover over it. It was made of wood as well, just like the walls.

"This is the Den of Special Use. No one knows what goes on in here except me and Tiger."

Buckstar looked at the first-in-command. "What _does_ go on in there?"

Shade let out a chuckle. "Believe me, Alpha; you wouldn't want to see it when you've just arrived. You'll think we're some sort of…monster."

Buckstar snarled. _I already think you are monsters! _He thought angrily_._ "Is Lilyfrost in there?" He growled.

Shade shook his head. "Your friend is not there. Be patient. I still have much to show you." Without another word, he led Buckstar down the hall and back into the main den. The light reflected across the mossy floor as the silver wolf turned around to look at Buckstar squarely in the eye.

"What I am about to show you is one of our most sacred possessions. Touch it, and you'll be dead before you could say 'fox'."

Buckstar gulped uncertainly. "A-alright."

Shade nodded and smiled his crooked smile of his. "Follow." He ordered and padded straight into the darkness, with the unwary he-wolf in tow. Two wolves padded out of the shadows as soon as they left, ribs poking out of their fur.

"He's an Alpha." One of them, a dark brown he-wolf, said.

"Oh, no. Not another one." The other wolf whispered, a light gray she-wolf. She trembled in both fear and fury.

"We cannot interfere, River. Remember what happened last time?" The he-wolf growled.

"Yes, Canyon. I remember." There was a twinge of sorrow in her voice.

"Unworthy Wolves don't have any say in this stupid 'pack'."

River blinked at him. "We tried to rebel once, but I can't forget about what happened."

Canyon sighed and closed his eyes. "Of course, River. I will never forget. Let's just hope this pack doesn't go as quickly as the others."

River frowned. "We can only hope for StarPack to guide his paws."

"StarPack?" Canyon snorted. "What StarPack? I haven't heard of them in years!"

"The Darkness is not real, Canyon." River pleaded, "it is an illusion! You have to believe me!"

Canyon bowed his head. "I don't know who to believe anymore."

River licked his head. "Don't worry. We'll figure out a way."

They retreated once again into the darkness, their heads and tails low.

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_Back in the RainPack camp…_

Hollypaw went into the Nursery, looking for the pup-bringers. She spotted her mother and her siblings sleeping in the corner, so she could not tell her just yet. Turning her head, she saw Dawntail quietly grooming herself and Silentheart looking at the floor just a few tail-lengths away. She sighed. She did not like Buckstar's mate at all, but she had to do as she was told. She padded up to the light ginger she-wolf.

Dawntail raised a brow and stopped grooming, but she did not say anything.

"Buckstar told me to tell you not to worry." The apprentice mumbled.

Dawntail flicked her ears forward in interest. "What do you mean?"

Hollypaw took a deep breath. "Lilyfrost has been kidnapped, so Buckstar's-"

"Looking for the little witch?" Dawntail hissed. "Buckstar's too noble. Argh."

Hollypaw blinked in surprise.

"I could've persuaded him to stay. Lilyfrost would have been better off away from him. That's one more problem off my back."

Hollypaw flattened her ears. Dawntail seemed to be acting strangely and the apprentice backed away.

"Where are you going?" Dawntail growled, making the black she-wolf stop dead in her tracks.

"N-nowhere." Hollypaw mumbled.

Dawntail let out a huff. "Where's your friend, Storm or whatever his name is?"

Hollypaw bared her teeth. "He's not my friend." She growled icily.

Dawntail narrowed her eyes. She ignored Hollypaw's steely comment and said, "I suppose Buckstar wouldn't have let him leave with them."

"He's in the Pack Den. Along with Redpaw too."

"Oh, that annoying little brat too." Dawntail sighed. "Just great."

Hollypaw shrugged. She had to agree with that.

Dawntail growled. "So there's only a couple of apprentices guarding the camp? I'm going to kill him."

Hollypaw blinked at the she-wolf. "What did you say?"

"I'm going to kill Buckstar. If someone decides to attack us, it's his entire fault if I'm here gasping with my last, dying breath."

Hollypaw narrowed her bright green eyes. "Oh, Dawntail, don't be so paranoid."

"Paranoid? You're calling me paranoid, well-" Dawntail started, but her voice was cut off by Sparrowfeather's bark.

"What's going on?" She growled. "Don't you see wolves are trying to sleep here?"

Hollypaw saw her yellow eyes blink sleepily at her and she bowed her head. "I'm sorry, mother."

"Oh, it's only you, Hollypaw."

"And me." Dawntail hissed.

Sparrowfeather just cast a cool glance at her direction and then padded up to her daughter. She nuzzled her and licked the top of her head. "It's rare that you come and see me these days, Hollypaw. What's wrong?"

"It's father."

Sparrowfeather's expression suddenly turned anxious. "What happened?"

"Some wolves took Lilyfrost hostage. Father, Buckstar and the rest of the he-wolves are looking for her."

Dawntail flicked her tail. "Maybe she left on her own free-will. She tends to do that a lot these days." She commented flatly.

Sparrowfeather shot her a look. "I've heard of this." She growled grimly.

"You have?" Hollypaw asked, flicking her ears forward as she listened.

Sparrowfeather nodded. "Remember Violet, Hollypaw?"

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes as she tried to recall that name. "Oh…yes. I remember. Wasn't she that she-wolf you met before you gave birth to the pups? The…er, weird one?"

Sparrowfeather nodded again. "Yes, _that _one. She told me of one of these 'packs' that captured wolves to turn into slaves."

"Slaves?" Hollypaw was horrified.

Dawntail gasped.

"They called them…oh, what was it? Hm, yes, Unworthy Wolves. Those brutal things that Violet described to me haunted my dreams for weeks, making me consider not to join a pack at all, but Larksong eventually convinced me it was a good idea."

"They did…brutal things to Unworthy Wolves?" Dawntail asked.

Sparrowfeather shivered. "It's better not to talk about that at all."

Hollypaw nodded. "Now I'm scared for father!"

Dawntail looked at the ground under her, but did not say a word.

"Yes, Hollypaw." Sparrowfeather told her gently. "And for Buckstar and the others. I hope they come back safely."

Silentheart quietly padded up to them, her eyes wide and worried.

"Blackfrost too, Silentheart." Sparrowfeather murmured and nuzzled the she-wolf comfortingly.

Hollypaw felt a pang of pity for the she-wolf. _It must be horrible not to be able to talk! _She thought sadly. _You can't tell anyone how you feel, or your ideas or thoughts…poor Silentheart._

Dawntail looked at the she-wolves. "The camp is unprotected. Those wolves might attack us."

"What?" Sparrowfeather cried.

Silentheart's pelt started to bristle uncontrollably.

Suddenly, Fernleaf padded into the den followed by Twilightpaw. She looked at Hollypaw, then at the others. Twilightpaw was carrying a wad of seeds in her jaws.

"I suppose you've heard already." The Healer said with a sigh.

"What are we going to do?" Sparrowfeather asked feverishly. "We have no protection against these wolves!"

"I was afraid of this." Fernleaf murmured and gestured to Twilightpaw, who dropped the wad of black poppy seeds. "Eat these."

"Why?" Dawntail snarled.

"It will help you calm down." The Healer told them.

"What will happen to our mates? We want to know!" Sparrowfeather argued.

"They will be alright, I promise."

"Promises, promises!" Sparrowfeather growled. "How will I know if Larksong isn't killed out there? I shouldn't just let him die!"

"He's not going to die, Sparrowfeather. Eat them." Fernleaf growled.

The pup-bringer bared her teeth.

Dawntail sighed and licked up a few of the seeds. "Just do it." She said as she looked at the black she-wolf once again.

Sparrowfeather shook her head and glared at the dark gray Healer. "No way am I going to just let myself be drugged by you, Fernleaf, while my mate could be somewhere dying! You-"

Suddenly, Hollypaw grabbed a pawful of poppy seeds and shoved them into her mother's mouth. With a gargled sound, the she-wolf swallowed them.

"I'm sorry, mother," The black apprentice whispered, "but it was for the best."

Sparrowfeather bared her teeth at her daughter. "Hollypaw, how could you…"

"She was thinking of your health, Sparrowfeather." Twilightpaw suddenly growled. "Now lie down and get some rest just like you were doing perfectly a couple of minutes ago."

Sparrowfeather snarled, but then she yawned. "You will regret doing that if your father is dead, Hollypaw. You-" Before she finished her sentence, she collapsed on the ground next to Dawntail, her flanks rising and falling heavily with sleep.

"Finally." Fernleaf breathed. "Thank you, Hollypaw."

Hollypaw nodded. "She was getting on my nerves too."

Fernleaf smiled looked down at the two sleeping she-wolves. She then turned her head to Silentheart, who watched her with wary eyes.

Twilightpaw walked up to her and pushed a few seeds to the pregnant, mute wolf's paws.

Silentheart shifted away from the Healer apprentice, staring at the poppy seeds with disgust.

"Don't worry, Silentheart, it won't hurt you." The light brown she-wolf soothed her.

Silentheart suddenly looked to Hollypaw, and she gazed into her light blue eyes for what seemed like a lifetime. In those pools of blue were years and years of hidden feelings, distrust and betrayal. She did not know whom to trust anymore. Hollypaw's heart gave a sad lurch. She would die if she had ever felt that way.

"C'mon." Twilightpaw urged the golden she-wolf.

Silentheart tore her gaze away from Hollypaw and licked up the seeds.

"That's a good girl," Fernleaf whispered in her ear, "now just lie down and relax."

Silentheart obliged and soon she was asleep next to the others.

Twilightpaw looked at her mentor. "I'm going to move Sparrowfeather's pups over here. They're going to start crying for her if they find out she's not there to give them some milk."

Fernleaf nodded. "Smart thinking, Twilightpaw. Hollypaw, go help her. I'm going to go to the Pack Den and check on Stormpaw and Redpaw." She quickly picked up the poppy seeds and left them.

Twilightpaw looked at Hollypaw and gave her a small smile. "Well, let's get started."

Hollypaw rolled her eyes. "Alright."

Twilightpaw's smile faded. She sighed and padded over to the sleeping pups. Hollypaw followed her and grabbed the scruff of her sister, Hazelpup.

The Healer apprentice chose Crowpup, carried him to Sparrowfeather, and gently put him next to the she-wolf's belly. Hollypaw did the same, the two little pups huddling together for warmth.

"Do you like being a Healer?" Hollypaw abruptly asked.

Twilightpaw twitched her ears in surprise. "Uh…yes."

Hollypaw shuffled her paws against the ground. "I mean, do you miss, you know, fighting and stuff?"

Twilightpaw chuckled. "I chose this path because I love to heal, to nurture and to care for. I didn't choose it just because I had to."

"Oh, you didn't?" Hollypaw seemed curious.

"No. Why do you ask?"

Hollypaw looked at her black chest. "Uh, just curious."

Twilightpaw nudged her shoulder. "C'mon, let's go get Owlpup. He's the biggest of the three."

Hollypaw nodded and shuffled to her brown brother. She grabbed his scruff and hauled him off the ground. Suddenly, he opened his dark amber eyes.

"Wha's goin' on?" He asked sleepily.

"Shh," Twilightpaw whispered, padded next to them.

Owlpup squirmed under Hollypaw's grip. "Is that you, Hollypaw?" He asked quietly.

Hollypaw was about to nod, but she might cause the pup to hit the floor below her, so she grumbled a hasty 'yes'.

"Just take him to Sparrowfeather." Twilightpaw growled and the black apprentice set the pup down next to his brother and sister with a huff.

Owlpup blinked up at Hollypaw. "Hollypaw, it's daytime, why do we have to sleep?"

"It's a nap, Owlpup. Just continue sleeping like you were doing before."

"But I'm not sleepy anymore!" The pup whined.

Hollypaw rolled her eyes. "You better sleep or Twilightpaw will make you."

Twilightpaw raised a brow and opened her mouth to say something, but Owlpup was faster.

"You wanna fight?" He snarled at her, jumping up.

Twilightpaw chuckled. This little pup has spirit even though she was nearly triple his size. She bent down and nuzzled him instead. "You know what? Instead of fighting, why don't you just come with me? I think I have a little treat for you back at the Healer's Den."

Hollypaw raised a brow. Was she bribing him?

Owlpup furrowed his brows in deep thought. "Alright." He finally answered.

The black apprentice smirked. Twilightpaw's little ruse actually worked with the pup! But, then again, Owlpup had always been the dimmest of the three.

"But you have to be_ really_ quiet," The Healer apprentice warned the pup, "or else I'll give it to Hollypaw."

"Okay." Owlpup said, his voice barely audible.

Hollypaw chuckled and smiled at Twilightpaw, who winked back at her. Together, the three wolves crept out of the Nursery and out into the RainPack camp clearing.

* * *

**That was an extra long chapter too! I don't do those quite often, but I guess this was a special treat! And oh yes, there **_**is **_**another cliffhanger, heh-heh. Have you found out what the DarkDen is? Hm, I hope you did. I bet this chapter raised a lot of questions, so I expect reviews! **

**-Evanessence**


	32. Chapter 31: Into the Night

**xXxForgottenskyxXx- Great. Now you make me feel guilty. I NEVER feel guilty, for anything. (actually I do sometimes, but that's beside the point.) **

**Ariana- OMG, DOUBLE chocolate chips? Are you trying to kill me? Oh, whatever! –eats cookie- Thanks!**

**Cinnamonpool- -struggles to breathe- I-I'm g-going to g-get y-you b-back for th-that! –faints-**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- Um…no. It's supposed to be an abandoned mansion of some sort. I got the idea off the Pokemon Diamond game my brother plays. There's this place called Old Chateau and it's a decrepit mansion in the middle of a forest. Don't ask me why, I just had one of those random, writer moments. You probably thought it was a mine by the 'holes' in the walls, but I believe that's what we humans call a 'doorway' and the mossy floor is a 'carpet'. Hope it didn't confuse you too much to the point of exhaustion! -.-'**

**Evershine- Um…I guess I'm not supposed to answer that… XD**

**Here's chapter 31, 'Into the Night'**

* * *

Chapter 31- Into the Night

Buckstar gaped at the thing in front of him. It was a square-shaped sort of thing and it had a rather peculiar…image on it. It was hanging on the wall by some force Buckstar could not explain.

"This is the male Dark One." Shade growled proudly.

Buckstar blinked in confusion as he stared at the image. "Dark One?"

"Yes. This was his den before us. We were so honored as to receive this blessing."

"This is a blessing?" Buckstar asked.

Shade nodded and studied the 'Dark One'.

"Why doesn't he move? Is he dead?" Buckstar growled. He noticed the 'Dark One' had two eyes just as he did, but he did not have fur. Instead, he had some sort of a pale skin that made Buckstar squeamish. He had a tuft of dark brown fur on top of his head, and the wolf wondered how the Dark One could have kept warm in the harsh winters. The Dark One, however, wore some sort of a black and white pelt, though Buckstar wasn't sure it was fur.

"This Dark One is not dead, Buckstar. This is just one of the many 'pictures' around his den."

"Pictures?"

"Yes. A 'picture' is what it's called. It's done by some sort of the Dark One's magic. The Dark One's powerful magic cannot be explained so easily."

Buckstar cocked his head. He hardly believed this creature had magic.

"A picture. Huh." He growled and looked more closely at the picture. He noticed the Dark One's mouth was curved into a smile, but it looked more like a snarl. Buckstar shivered involuntarily. The creature's eyes were icy blue, just like Shade's. _Is it coincidence, or fate? _Buckstar thought.

There were several black scratches at the bottom of the picture and Buckstar squinted to get a better look at them. "What is this?" He asked Shade.

"Oh, it's the Dark One's language. They don't speak wolf tongue, but the male Dark One can."

Buckstar turned his head back to the silver he-wolf. "He can speak wolf?"

"Yes, in dreams."

Buckstar suddenly gasped.

Shade frowned. "What is it?"

Buckstar blinked. Should he tell Shade about his 'attacks'?

Shade suddenly let out a smile. "Ah, I see. We'll discuss it later, don't worry. I still have much to show you." He walked past the picture and into another hall.

Buckstar followed, taking one last, uneasy glance over his shoulder back at the picture. _Could that be the Darkness?_ He thought. _It's hideous._

Shade led him down the corridor and once again, the Alpha felt many wolves' stares boring into his fur. He looked to his side and caught sight of a light gray she-wolf, but she shuffled out of sight before he could call out to her. It was getting hot and stuffy and Buckstar had to shake his head to get rid of the fogginess developing in his brain.

Shade abruptly stopped, almost causing Buckstar to crash into him.

"Pay no mind to those wolves, Buckstar." The first-in-command growled, noticing the wolf's uneasy glances behind him. "They are not worthy of our presence."

Buckstar raised a brow. "Excuse me?" He asked.

Shade cleared his throat, ignoring his question. "This is the Unworthy Wolves' Den, or the Unworthy Den for short." He pointed with his tail to a hole in the wooden wall a few tail-lengths away. "I never bother coming down here at all and you shouldn't either."

"What are Unworthy Wolves?" Buckstar asked.

Shade opened his mouth to answer, but he suddenly let out a snarl at something behind the Alpha.

Buckstar turned around and came face-to-face with the light gray she-wolf he saw earlier. Her muzzle is horribly scarred and she looked at him with blazing dark blue eyes. "Unworthy Wolves are the same as any other wolf." She growled, her voice shaking as she stared into his hunter green eyes.

Shade roughly shoved Buckstar aside, causing him to bump against the wall. Shade confronted the she-wolf and he let out a snarl. The silver he-wolf's back arched in fury and his claws dug into the maroon-colored moss.

"Get out of here, you filth!" He spat at the she-wolf's face, but she did not back down.

"I'm not going anywhere." She growled. "I speak the truth. All you do here is garbage."

"Garbage?" Shade howled. He raised a claw to attack her, and Buckstar tensed. "Why you-"

"Leave, Alpha!" The she-wolf cried turning to Buckstar, "Leave while you still can!"

Buckstar was speechless. She was trying to warn him, but-

"Argh!" The she-wolf hit the floor with a_ thump_, her muzzle full of blood.

"May that be the last time you interfere, witch." Shade hissed, his eyes like chips of ice against the dim darkness. He licked his bloody paw.

"My name is _River_." The she-wolf coughed.

"Why are you just lying there, she-wolf? Get out!" Shade snarled, raising his bloody paw again.

River whimpered and backed away. "I'm already where I'm supposed to be." She growled.

Shade's upper lip curled in anger. "I will have to remind myself to punish you later."

River looked at Buckstar, and he saw desperation flash in her eyes. She shakily got up and Buckstar stepped forward to help her, but Shade's tail flicked on his shoulder, telling him to stop.

River limped inside the Unworthy Den, blood staining the maroon floor. It suddenly looked like the floor was made of blood itself.

"Let's go," Shade started, but Buckstar let out a growl.

"I'm getting out of here. You are a monster."

Shade shook his head. He then smiled. "You and I are the same, even if you don't realize it yet."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. What is this wolf talking about? "I'm not going with you."

"Yes you are."

Buckstar tried to push past him, but Shade put a bloody paw on his broad chest and roughly shoved him back.

"You. Will. Stay." Shade hissed, his ice blue eyes suddenly flashing red.

"No I'm not!" Buckstar roared. When he least expected it, he felt the warmth and pressure of two pelts against his flank. Flint and another wolf Buckstar did not recognize had put themselves on his sides.

_No…_he thought.

Shade smiled crookedly. "Let's continue on, shall we?"

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"You idiot."

"I couldn't help it." River limped into the Unworthy Den, her light gray pelt dull and faded. Her bloody muzzle was bleeding profusely and she let out a whine. "I can't let another wolf fall for Shade's lies."

Canyon glared at her. He was sitting near the hole in the farthest wall. He turned his back on her, he peered through the hole, which had some sort of clear barrier, and he pressed his nose onto it. Several wolves around the room stirred, blinking their sleepy eyes.

"River!" A light brown she-wolf suddenly cried and bounded up to her. "What happened?"

River did not answer, instead looking down at her light gray paws.

A black and white he-wolf got up and shook his pelt. "I bet it was Tiger again. She's always bothering him."

River shook her head. "No, it was Shade this time."

The he-wolf looked surprised. "Really? Wow, River, I didn't know you had it in you."

"Well, someone had to do _something_."

The light brown she-wolf beside River grimaced. "That was a very stupid thing to do, sister. Shade has_ killed_ wolves, remember?"

River's eyes shadowed.

Canyon separated himself from the hole and he jumped back down on his four paws. "Enough talking about this. We have suffered plenty."

"Yes." The black and white he-wolf murmured.

"Eagle, why don't you wake up Jay? River's wound is bleeding a lot."

"Jay's busy now with a birth."

Canyon shook his head.

The light brown she-wolf whimpered. "Oh, no. Please let there be no Unworthy Wolves in this litter."

"Leaf," River said, turning to her sister, "that's why we need to stop him. Innocent lives are at stake-"

"But will you risk yours?" Leaf asked, her voice trembling.

"I would gladly give my life for the innocent." The light gray she-wolf growled. "They don't deserve this. At all." Her wound had stopped bleeding now and Leaf started to lick it instead of replying.

Canyon sighed and looked back through the hole. "It looks like that Alpha brought his packmates along."

"Oh, really? Let me see." Eagle climbed next to Canyon and peered into the hole. "Oh yeah! And quite a lot!"

"Is it his whole pack?" River asked through the thorough licking her sister was giving her.

"There are no she-wolves…so it can't be the whole pack like last time." Canyon growled.

"You never know." Eagle said with a shrug. "I've seen an all-male pack before."

Canyon looked at him strangely. "Uh, that's very rare, Eagle. I highly doubt it."

Eagle shrugged again and squinted at something outside the hole. "Oh, look! One of those wolves kinda looks like me!"

River turned her head away from Leaf, stopping her licking. "That's enough, Leaf. I'm fine."

The light brown she-wolf shook her head. "It's still bleeding, look."

"Do you think I _can_, Leaf?" River spat. "It's not bleeding anymore, I can feel it."

Leaf backed away submissively. "Whatever you say."

Suddenly, a yelp echoed through the room and all of the wolves turned their heads to see a dark gray she-wolf stumble through the entrance, a pup in her jaws.

"Oh, no!" Leaf gasped.

"Not another one!" Eagle growled.

The dark gray she-wolf dropped the pup and coughed weakly. She had a delicate frame and her coat was ragged and faded. She looked well beyond her normal years.

Leaf hurried to the pup and started to lick its fur.

"It's female." The she-wolf sighed and blinked dull light blue eyes at the others.

The others murmured sympathetically.

"She never got a chance." Canyon sighed and bowed his head.

"Does she have a name?" River asked, padded over to the she-wolf.

She blinked and cocked her head to the side. "No. Amber was about to kill her before she was ever going to get named."

"No!" River gasped.

"She didn't want an Unworthy Wolf in her litter."

"She wanted to kill her before Shade can see that he fathered an Unworthy Wolf, right?" River growled, disgusted.

"Yes." The she-wolf sighed.

"That's horrible. Does she have The Mark?"

The dark gray wolf nodded and flicked her tail at the ginger colored puppy. She had a small, claw shape scar over her shoulder, or The Mark. The symbol of the Unworthy Wolf. River and the others had a similar scar, each on a different place of the body.

"But you saved her, Jay." Leaf said, the little pup stirring at her paws. "See? She's alright."

"For now." Jay growled.

"You talk as if she's going to die!" Leaf cried. "She's not!"

"It's better to die than to live this horrible life!" Jay snapped. "And as soon Shade finds out we're harboring one of his daughters, and an Unworthy Wolf at that, he'll have her Sacrificed."

All the wolves gasped.

"That's right." Jay spat. "He's not afraid to kill his own children for that stupid Darkness."

"I'm not going to let that happen." Leaf whispered and licked the little pup between the ears.

River flicked her tail. "Leaf, you have to understand, as soon as Shade gets even a whiff of her scent, he'll-"

"If she's going to die, I'm dying with her!" Leaf wailed, curling herself around the pup.

River's muscles tensed.

Jay put her tail on her shoulder reassuringly. "Your sister has never had a pup, River. Let her take care of this one for at least for a while."

River watched her sister with eyes full of sorrow. "I…I can't let my sister die."

"She's not going to die." Jay growled. "As long as she's with us and is hidden, no one is going to die."

"Well, then what happened last time?" Canyon growled, stepping next to River.

Jay's eyes went to the floor. "That…was an accident."

"I'm not going to have us all killed for a pup." The dark brown he-wolf snarled. "The pup has to go." He advanced towards Leaf.

"No!" The light brown she-wolf cried and curled her body tighter around the pup. "I'm not going to let you take her away from me!"

Jay stopped Canyon with a nudge to his shoulder. "Canyon, don't."

Canyon opened his mouth to say something, but Leaf let a growl, surprisingly towards River.

"Didn't you want to protect the innocent, River?" Leaf asked her sister. "Here's the innocent. Where's the protecting?"

"But, Leaf," River stammered, "you have to think of others too!"

Leaf bared her teeth. "That's right, sister. Be noble. I, for one, am not going to let another innocent life slip away into Shade's bloody paws."

The wolves were quiet. Nobody could argue with the she-wolf because there was nothing to argue about. Leaf was right.

Eagle stepped forward. "What are you going to name her?" He asked, his tail wagging.

Leaf smiled for what seemed like ages. She looked down at the pup. She had a beautiful silver coat and a single ginger splotch on her chest. "I'll name her Ginger."

"Ginger? What a pretty name!"

Canyon sighed and let out a grumble.

"I guess we can keep her," River said with a sigh. "There's nothing else we can do."

"We can get rid of it and end _that _problem." Canyon growled.

Leaf ignored him and she gave an excited yelp. "Yes, thank you, River! You won't regret this!"

Her sister's eyes shadowed.

Leaf's smile never waned as Jay padded up to her and nosed Ginger's small flank. "She's needs milk." She growled.

"Oh, no." Leaf muttered, a frown replacing her grin.

"I know a replacement. You can thank me later." Jay flicked her tail. "Follow me."

Leaf beamed once again and she grabbed the pup's scruff. She let out a small, pitiful whine as Leaf followed the dark gray she-wolf further into the room.

River watched them go, a sad look coming onto her bloody face.

"Jay never gave you something for that wound." Canyon growled.

River licked her paw and pressed it on the wound. "That's alright. It doesn't hurt anyways."

Canyon got up and flicked his tail. "Modesty is not going to get you anywhere, River."

"Modesty?" River asked.

Canyon nodded. "Even the strongest wolf needs help."

River snorted. "Keep your wisdom to yourself, Canyon. I'm fine. Honestly."

Canyon shrugged and sighed. "Great, now we have another problem on our paws. That pup will bring nothing but misery for us."

"Leaf is really happy though." Eagle said, breaking his silence. "She hasn't been this happy since…I don't know when."

River nodded. "She has gone through too much. It's about time something goes right in her life."

Canyon blinked at her. "Whatever you say, River. Whatever you say." Without another word, he disappeared into the darkness, the she-wolf looking on with sorrow shimmering in her dark blue eyes.

* * *

**A lot of stuff going on here! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me****! **

**P.S- Happy Fourth of July!**

**-Evanessence**


	33. Chapter 32: Betrayal

**Cinnamonpool- -blinks- Uh… -backs away REAL slowly-**

**Evershine of FrostClan- Yup! The Dark One IS a human!**

**xXxForgottensongxXx- The little chocolate chips are cute, though I suppose you won't let me keep them. Hm. I got my own little cookie warriors. It's Oatmealraisin and Sugarcookie!**

**Here's chapter 32!**

* * *

Chapter 32- Betrayal

Twilightpaw looked up at the setting sun she let out a sigh. Buckstar and the others have not returned yet. _This is not a good sign._ She thought miserably. She was at the entrance of the Healer's Den, the waterfall's constant spray making droplets of water on her light brown pelt.

Hollypaw padded up to her side and softly nudged her shoulder.

Twilightpaw bowed her head and sighed.

"I hope nothing happened to them." Hollypaw whispered, settling herself next to her.

Fernleaf appeared next to the black apprentice, her dark gray pelt ruffled. "All we can do now _is _hope." She growled and sat on the moss. She started to groom herself. "The others are asleep. Finally."

"We were supposed to go to the DreamPool today, Fernleaf." Twilightpaw told her mentor quietly.

Fernleaf nodded sadly and stopped grooming. "I know. I was looking forward to some of StarPack's insight on this."

"They're being awfully quiet these past moons." Twilightpaw murmured.

"I haven't had any dreams lately." Fernleaf looked at her paws. "Not even a sign."

Hollypaw shifted uncomfortably. She did not care about what StarPack says, she just wanted her father and mentor back. They are starting to worry her. Suddenly, her keen vision caught sight of a shape entering the camp. She jumped up, her pelt bristling.

"What's wr-" Fernleaf started to ask, but she too caught sight of the stranger.

Twilightpaw gasped and shrank back.

"Who is it?" Hollypaw asked, her pelt starting to bristle with uncertainty.

Fernleaf squinted, trying to get a better look at the figure. As soon as she spotted it, it was unmistakable. The feather.

"It's Hawkflight." She whispered.

"Are they coming back?" Hollypaw asked eagerly, her heart rising in hope.

Fernleaf shook her head. "It doesn't look like he's got company with him."

"Oh, no!" Hollypaw gasped, fearing the worst.

Twilightpaw must have been thinking the same thing. She bit her lip and bowed her head.

"Hawkflight!" Fernleaf called. The he-wolf flinched and looked their way.

The Healer ran up to him, the apprentices closely following after. "Any news? Please tell me they're not-"

Hawkflight let out a grunt. "Dead? No. Not yet."

Fernleaf let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarPack."

"I don't think you should thank them quite yet, Fernleaf." Hawkflight growled. "The strange pack's got the others. Only_ StarPack_ would know what's happening to them."

Fernleaf mouth gaped. "What?"

"What can we do?" Hollypaw asked fearfully.

Hawkflight looked at her, his steely amber eyes cold. "Nothing. All you _can_ do is try and defend yourselves the best way you can if they decide to come around here for a visit."

Hollypaw flinched.

"Wait," Fernleaf growled. "You said 'you'."

Hawkflight swept his gaze over hers and before she could have said anything else, Twilightpaw whimpered,

"But I don't know how to fight that well…"

"And all Buckstar has taught me are some defensive moves! I can't take on a full-grown wolf by myself!" Hollypaw whined, her voice quivering.

"I knew this pack wouldn't last!" Hawkflight said and bared his teeth in frustration.

Fernleaf frowned. "What do you mean? Are you saying you're-?"

"Leaving? Yes." Hawkflight growled. "Buckstar has brought this upon himself."

"This is not Buckstar's fault!" Fernleaf argued.

Hollypaw let out a growl. "How about Dawntail? Are you going to leave your pregnant sister behind?"

"She's not my sister." He spat. "That she-wolf can take care of herself. She seems to do that very well."

Hollypaw gasped. Hawkflight _had lied to every wolf in RainPack._

Fernleaf stepped forward until she was so close to Hawkflight that she could feel his hot breath on her muzzle. "Coward." She hissed at him. "Buckstar offered you the home you never had and now you're turning your back on him?"

Hawkflight snapped his jaws, causing the Healer to draw back in sheer surprise. "I'm only looking out for my best interests." Without another word, he ran out of the entrance, leaving the dumbstruck wolves behind.

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Buckstar struggled against the two wolves next to him. They just snickered and kept padding on after Shade.

"On the walls you see pictures of the Dark One, his mate and pups," he said nonchalantly, flicking his tail at another square shaped image on the wall. This one had that same hideous creature Buckstar first saw in the larger picture but another Dark One was beside him; a smaller one with the same, though with more feminine features.

Right next to that picture was one of two small Dark Ones, their smiling faces beaming up at Buckstar so much that he had to look away, a shiver crawling down his spine.

"The male Dark One was the Alpha of his pack." Shade explained as they stopped. They were once again near the big picture of the male Dark One. "The others were pack members. For centuries wolves had been under Dark Race's dominance."

Buckstar could not help but ask, "The Dark Race?"

Shade nodded and a smile crept onto his face. "The magnificent race of the Dark Ones. My father had lived with this one." He pointed to the picture with his tail.

Flint rolled his eyes from beside Buckstar. "Here we go again." He muttered.

Shade cuffed him harshly, causing the wolf to give a whimper.

"Ow, I already got hit once today, you know." He growled, referring to his now bandaged muzzle.

"You deserved it, you disrespectful excuse for a wolf. It's a shame your mother never taught you manners."

The wolf on Buckstar's other side snickered, earning himself a scathing look from the silver he-wolf.

"You too, Fang." Shade snapped.

The white wolf growled to himself and looked down at his paws.

"Now, where was I?" Shade sighed. "Oh yes, my father. I know you're familiar with the Darkness, Buckstar. Am I correct?"

Buckstar narrowed his eyes.

"_Am I correct_?" He asked again, his voice shrill.

"Y-yes." Buckstar stammered.

"Good." Shade chuckled. "It looks like you have been Alpha for far too long, Buckstar."

Buckstar once again tried to struggle, but the wolves held him back. "You're not taking over my pack!" He spat.

Shade was clearly taken aback. "Who said I was ever going to do such a thing?" He asked, his voice sickeningly sweet.

"I can see through your lies, Shade!" The light brown wolf hissed.

Shade narrowed his eyes. "What _lies_? There are no lies here!"

"I-"

"Nevermind!" Shade abandoned the topic as if it was a piece of bad fresh-kill. "My father was named Darkness. He was a loyal servant to this male Dark One." He then let out a growl. "One day one of your 'packs' attacked my father and killed him. My siblings and myself saw the whole thing. They also killed the Dark One."

Buckstar gritted his teeth. _They are destroying the packs just because of one! What kind of justice is in that? _Hethought angrily.

"We vowed to kill you all! My brother and sister, Sol and Luna, liked the idea of getting rid of all of the packs. They created their own groups, just like I did."

"T-there are others like you?" Buckstar stammered, shocked with dismay.

Shade nodded. "The Darkness runs through us all. Until, lately, he's been tampering with your, 'StarPack', which is…unusual."

Buckstar was confused. "The Darkness is your father?"

"Not _just_ my father, Buckstar. The Darkness is the souls of the Dark One and my father joined together. The beauty of it is just…"

"Sickening." Buckstar hissed.

Shade turned on him. "What did you just say?"

"It's the most idiotic thing I have ever heard." The Alpha growled boldly.

Flint, from beside Buckstar, snickered. "Bad move!"

Shade, instead of being angry, just smiled crookedly. "I'm tolerating that little comment of yours for now, Buckstar. I would say the same thing for your 'StarPack' but then again, we all have our differences, right?"

Buckstar kept quiet, his hunter green gaze blazing with anger.

"Fang," Shade turned to the white wolf. "Show Buckstar where his little friend is."

Buckstar's heart gave a shudder. _Lilyfrost!_ He thought.

Fang sneered. "Oh, yes. A pretty one, isn't she?"

The RainPack Alpha glared at the wolf, suddenly feeling protective of his packmate. "What have you done to her?" He snarled.

Shade shook his head. "She's perfectly fine, Buckstar. Look, I'll come with you and show you, seeing Fang clearly cannot handle this by himself."

Fang gaped, obviously offended. He looked as if he was about to attack Shade, but he thought better of it and just let his fury boil underneath his snow-white pelt.

The first in command nodded at Fang. "Good thinking, Fang. You don't want what that Unworthy Wolf had suffered for disrespecting me, right?"

Fang's amber eyes smothered with hot anger, but he muttered a hasty, "Yes, Supreme One."

Shade turned back to Buckstar. "Trust me, Buckstar, she's in the same condition when you last saw her."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. He wanted to believe the wolf was not telling him the whole truth, but he wasn't sure who to believe now. One thing he was sure about though. _If these wolves had even touched a _hair_ on Lilyfrost's pelt, I swear I'll-_

"Come, Alpha." The first-in-command growled.

Flint let out a whine. "Do…I come with you?"

Shade shook his head. "Stay down here. Go and find that she-wolf and tell her to come to my den later. I need to have a…talk with her."

Flint nodded and gave a small sneer. "Yes, Supreme One." He then disappeared into the darkness, his gray tail flicking behind him.

"What are you going to do to her?" Buckstar asked, this time his voice shaking with anger.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to do anything…drastic."

"Just take me to Lilyfrost." Buckstar growled.

Shade tilted his head to the side. "So _that's _her name, huh? Very…uh, pretty. She refused to give her name when we…"

Buckstar growled. "Kidnapped her?"

The silver he-wolf smiled. "You always seem to know what is on my mind, Buckstar. Just one more thing that makes us more…similar." He then flicked his tail. "I had no choice but to kidnap your 'Lilyfrost'. How else would I have gotten you here?"

Buckstar felt his claws sink into the maroon colored floor in his fury. "_What_?"

Shade shook his head. "We have no more time to spare, Buckstar. Let's go." He disappeared once again into the darkness, leading the wolves to strange, wooden steps that reminded Buckstar of the rocks leading to the top of the cliff where Stormpaw had discovered Blackfrost and the others.

Fang shoved the Alpha after the silver wolf, almost causing him to stumble forward. Buckstar snarled at the white wolf and Fang just sneered annoyingly.

Shade stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Up here is where the High Wolves live, such as Fang and I."

"No Unworthy Wolves here!" The white wolf snickered. "It's off-limits for them!"

Buckstar sighed at the pure discrimination these wolves had installed upon them. What was so different about these 'High Wolves' from the so-called 'Unworthy Wolves'? To Buckstar, they were just wolves, not one different from the other.

The first-in-command climbed up a few steps and ushered Buckstar to follow him, his muzzle breaking into a crooked smile.

Fang butted the Alpha's shoulder harshly and Buckstar clambered up the steps, not sure quite what to expect. So far, nothing he has seen is what he had expected at all.

* * *

**Uh-oh! **_**Another**_** cliffie! **

**-Evanessence **


	34. Chapter 33: Bad Timing

**Cinnamonpool- Thanks!**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- You're welcome!**

**Ariana- Thanks for the cookie! –eats cookie- Here's the next chapter!**

**xXxForgottenskyxXx- Cocodough! Yum, I mean hi! –puts away Cocodough, a bit regretfully- Sugarcookie and Oatmealraisin have a friend now! –licks lips hungrily- **

* * *

Chapter 33- Bad Timing

Fernleaf was still numb about Hawkflight's betrayal when she heard Twilightpaw give a piercing cry.

The apprentice had turned away from her and was looking into the Nursery. "It's…it's…" She was trembling violently at something she was seeing.

"What's wrong?" The dark gray wolf asked feverishly, turning to look at whatever Twilightpaw was gasping about. From beside her apprentice, Hollypaw let out a cry.

"It's Silentheart! She's giving birth!" The black apprentice shrieked.

Fernleaf's long limbs burst into a run as she pelted towards the Nursery, where the golden she-wolf was writhing around madly, her teeth bared in silent pain. Twilightpaw and Hollypaw slipped inside after her, their eyes as wide as twin moons as they saw the immense mount of blood already on the mossy floor.

Dawntail was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, the poppy seeds had little effect on her and Sparrowfeather, on the other paw, was still fast asleep, curled around her three pups.

"Twilightpaw, I need cobwebs! She's bleeding heavily!" Fernleaf growled quickly to her apprentice, who quickly shot out of the Nursery to fetch them.

"What can I do?" Hollypaw asked feverishly. "I helped my mother give birth to the pups, so I can help you!"

Fernleaf nodded. "Yes! Hold her down here by her flank. She'll try and shake you off, but whatever you do, stay on! If not, she'll hurt herself and the pups!"

Hollypaw gave her a brisk nod and put her paws on Silentheart's flank, who immediately bucked against her weight. She had to dig her claws into the she-wolf's golden flank to stop herself from being thrown off the bigger wolf.

"That's it!" Fernleaf told her and hurried to Silentheart's hindquarters, where she could already see a tiny pup emerging. "It's coming out faster than I thought! Hold her down!"

Twilightpaw burst into the Nursery, the cobwebs in her paws. Fernleaf quickly took them from the apprentice and applied them to Silentheart.

"Why is she bleeding like that?" Twilightpaw whined.

"It's normal." Fernleaf said hastily as Silentheart thrashed around. "Hollypaw, the first one's almost out! Get ready to hold her down! Twilightpaw, make sure to lick the pup thoroughly when I push it away from her body!"

Silentheart raised her head in a silent howl, her mouth curved into an o-shape. Twilightpaw positioned herself by the she-wolf's hind legs, catching a quick glimpse of the she-wolf's horrible scars running down her neck, making the apprentice shiver.

"That's it, Silentheart, keep pushing." The Healer told her gently and a small puppy suddenly tumbled from underneath Silentheart's tail, enveloped in a bloody, silky film.

"Lick it, Twilightpaw!" Fernleaf hissed and the apprentice quickly bent down to lick away the film, helping the pup to breathe on its own.

Silentheart's heavy breaths echoed in Fernleaf's ears as she waited for the pup to let out its first cry, signaling that it was breathing normally. Sure enough, a shrill shriek emanated from the newly born puppy.

"It's a male!" Twilightpaw cried between her licks.

"Good, now put him near Silentheart's belly so he can feed." Fernleaf told her and went back to Silentheart. "I swear you had another pup, Silentheart. I had felt it before-"

"She does!" Hollypaw said from on top of the golden wolf's flank. "I can feel it moving!"

Twilightpaw had put the pup at Silentheart's swollen belly when she heard Sparrowfeather stir.

"What's going on?" The pup-bringer asked, her voice leaking with tiredness.

"Silentheart's giving birth!" Hollypaw told her mother.

The black she-wolf's eyes opened completely and struggled to get up, careful not to wake up her pups. "It was about time!" She whispered, padding up to the scene.

"Her second pup hasn't come yet." Fernleaf explained and then whispered in Silentheart's ear, "Push, Silentheart. You still have one more to go."

Silentheart's tail flicked weakly against the bloodstained moss, as if she was saying, 'I can't…'

Sparrowfeather padded around to the she-wolf's belly, where the small male puppy was nursing. He had a dark brown pelt, surprising her. He did not look like _any_ of his parents.

"Hollypaw," Fernleaf said to the apprentice, "you can let go of her flank now. She's tired and I think this pup is going to take a while to come out."

Hollypaw jumped off, quickly padding next to her mother, who licked her ears affectionately.

"Her bleeding stopped, Fernleaf." Twilightpaw whispered to her mentor, taking off the cobwebs from Fernleaf had applied to Silentheart to keep the excess blood from spilling onto the floor.

Fernleaf bent down to whisper in Silentheart's ear again. "One last effort, Silentheart. You can do it."

Silentheart shook her head, panting from the agonizing pain. Her body rippled with the contractions and she bared her teeth and snapped at the air in a fit of pain.

"C'mon, Silentheart!" Sparrowfeather hissed, her heart starting to sink. If this pup did not come out soon, it might never get the chance to see the light of day. Her birth had been normal, just like it had been also with her first pregnancy, with Hollypaw. She had never seen a pup take _this _long to emerge and with Silentheart being mute, she cannot say if anything is wrong.

After a few agonizing moments, Fernleaf's quick paws helped deliver Silentheart's last pup. The she-wolf herself was clawing at the moss, her obvious pain showing. Her flanks heaved with the immense effort of the last birth.

Twilightpaw hurried to lick away the afterbirths and as soon as she did, the pup let out a loud cry and she allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief.

Sparrowfeather too managed to let out a sigh of relief. Her heart still raced from the intensity of the moment and she could feel her daughter's heart keep perfect time with hers. She must have also felt the same way.

"It's a female!" Twilightpaw exclaimed and gently placed the pup next to her brother. She was a small, light gray she-wolf. The Healer apprentice saw that the pup had the same delicate, pretty facial features as Silentheart, but_ neither _one of pups looked like Blackfrost, who was supposedly their father.

"Good job, Silentheart." Fernleaf whispered to the she-wolf, but she had fallen asleep out of pure exhaustion, a content smile on her face.

Hollypaw felt Sparrowfeather lick the top of her head as she listened to the soft suckle of the little pups and she briefly wondered what it was like to be a mother.

Suddenly, Stormpaw and Redpaw burst into the Nursery, their pelts ruffled, as if they had just woken up from a deep sleep.

"A little late, aren't you?" Hollypaw growled at them.

Redpaw looked at the bloody mess in front of him, not sure what to say.

"Did we miss something?" Stormpaw asked, backing away from the bloody moss until he was near the entrance.

"Maybe." Hollypaw answered gruffly and Fernleaf chuckled.

"Silentheart had her pups." The Healer pointed to the newborn puppies at the she-wolf's belly, happily nursing.

Stormpaw crinkled his nose in disgust. "Ew! It's all bloody!"

"Stop acting like a pup, Stormpaw!" Sparrowfeather scolded him. "A birth is a beautiful thing. Every new life brought into this world is also a new life to guide us one day."

Redpaw nodded. "That's right."

Stormpaw grimaced at him. "I still think it's nasty."

Hollypaw rolled her eyes at the pure immaturity of the apprentice.

"What are their names?" Redpaw asked the she-wolves.

Fernleaf looked at the sleeping Silentheart and shrugged. "I guess that's up to Blackfrost and Silentheart to decide."

Twilightpaw flicked her ears when she heard the name 'Blackfrost'. For some reason, she did not think the black he-wolf was the father of this litter. The pups just looked so…different.

"Where's Dawntail?" Redpaw asked. "She missed it."

"Who cares?" Stormpaw scoffed. "She probably didn't want to see it just like I didn't want to, not that I would've known she was going to give birth _tonight_. Anyways, I'm actually _glad _Dawntail's gone!"

Sparrowfeather abruptly cuffed him. "Have respect, Stormpaw! She's a warrior!"

The apprentice grumbled angrily and stared at the bloody floor below him.

"I heard Hawkflight left." Redpaw growled.

Fernleaf nodded, not wanting to ruin this moment for that pathetic excuse for a RainPack warrior.

"He's a coward." Twilightpaw hissed. "I'd rather just forget about him."

Fernleaf nodded again.

"Buckstar and the others are still out there." Hollypaw whimpered, closing her eyes.

Sparrowfeather blinked. "Still?"

Fernleaf sighed. "Silentheart couldn't have picked the worst time to give birth."

Suddenly, there was a loud howl outside of the Nursery and all of them froze.

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"I can't believe I'm doing this."

Dawntail picked her way through the undergrowth, her bulging belly sticking out awkwardly fro her sides.

"I though Buckstar was smarter than this." She growled to herself. She had left the entrance of the camp far behind and she sniffed, searching for her mate's familiar, musky scent. Night had fallen and poppy seeds Fernleaf had given her did not work at all. She had slept for a short time, but she woke up, due to Silentheart's constant shifting. She chuckled. _It's no wonder Blackfrost doesn't sleep next to her!_ She thought. _It's impossible to!_ She was also wondering where Buckstar was. It was about time he would come back from his rescue patrol.

"Out looking for that little witch of a wolf. I wish he'd stop being so perfect and noble. Argh! That annoys me_ so_ much!" She delicately stepped over a twisted root, her long limbs straining with the weight of her expanded belly.

Dawntail sighed heavily. "And now I have to get him like a little pup. I-" Suddenly, she caught a scent in the cold breeze. One she had known longer than anything else.

"Hawkflight?" She asked into the forest and she saw the undergrowth in front of her rustle.

The he-wolf stepped out of the bushes, a rather confused look on his face.

"I thought you were with Buckstar and the others." She growled, narrowing her eyes.

"And I thought you were in the Nursery." Hawkflight retorted back, his voice gruff as usual.

Dawntail smirked. "Okay, we're even. Why aren't you with Buckstar?"

Hawkflight bowed his head. "I…left them."

"_What_?" Dawntail screeched.

The dark ginger warrior's eyes narrowed. "They are getting into some really strange things, Dawntail, I-"

"I was right, then." The she-wolf hissed. "I knew you were still a coward when it came to things you don't understand."

"I'm not a coward!" Hawkflight snarled, his pelt bristling.

"Hm. I wonder sometimes why I even considered you as a mate. I must have been delirious or something-"

Hawkflight's claws dug into the ground in anger.

Dawntail saw this and smiled. "Oh, yes. I've hit a tender spot, haven't I?"

"Have a nice life, _Dawntail_!" Hawkflight spat at her.

"Oh, you're leaving, aren't you? Well, let me remind you that Buckstar still trusts you. I don't know about you, but I'm going to help him."

Hawkflight could not help but laugh. "Really?" He sputtered.

Dawntail frowned. "You think that's funny? Do you want another scar to match the one you already have?"

Hawkflight flattened his ears. He knew what the she-wolf was capable of, even though she was pregnant. "I know you're not going to fight, Dawntail." He growled.

Dawntail flicked her tail. "How would _you_ know?"

"Because I know you well enough to say that you're a coward too."

The she-wolf's blue eyes blazed with fury. "What did you say?"

"You know what I'm talking about. You make other wolves do you dirty work as if they're your…I don't know…"

Dawntail's eyes shadowed and she stalked closer to Hawkflight until she could see the individual hairs on his dark ginger fur. "What do you know?"

Hawkflight backed away. "I know you have Blackfrost wrapped around your paw. I thought you were_ Buckstar's_ mate."

The light ginger she-wolf raised a claw, ready to strike Hawkflight, but something held her back. Was it guilt? No, Dawntail _never_ felt guilty. For anything.

Hawkflight bared his teeth. "Buckstar will find out sooner or later."

"He will know _nothing_." Dawntail hissed, her black marked eyes narrowing.

"I told Fernleaf I wasn't your 'half-brother' or whatever. I wish I could see Buckstar's face when he hears his mate_ lied_ to him."

Dawntail panicked. What would Buckstar say? _Surely that little snitch will tell him!_ Dawntail thought angrily, already seeing Fernleaf beside Buckstar as she told him her secret and his hunter green eyes clouding with anger…

Hawkflight smiled, seeing Dawntail's panic-stricken face. "Maybe Buckstar will consider Lilyfrost as his new mate, hm? Who knows?"

Dawntail let out an enraged shriek. "That she-wolf is _so _dead to me!"

"But not to Buckstar, her 'guardian angel'." Hawkflight sneered.

The she-wolf felt fury building in her chest. Her hatred for Lilyfrost grew even more and she bared her teeth at the mere thought of the silver she-wolf getting close to Buckstar…so close that they might even…

"_Argh_!" She roared, her usually smooth voice loud with pure fury.

Hawkflight instinctively backed away, realizing his mistake of infuriating Dawntail. He has not seen the she-wolf _this _angry since…since that poor she-wolf, Amber, had an interest in him so many years ago. He did not remember much about what happened that fateful day just that Amber wound up dead under a cliff, all her bones broken. Dawntail was at Amber's side, the she-wolf's blood on her paws, crying and saying 'It was an accident! She wanted to die! I couldn't stop her!' Ever since then, Hawkflight had always thought Amber had committed suicide, but Hawkflight has his suspicions. He knew Dawntail harbors enough jealousy, enough…rage, to kill a wolf. Dawntail, the seemingly perfect she-wolf, was a murderer.

"Get out of my way!" Dawntail hissed at him, shoving him to the ground.

Hawkflight growled at her, but she disappeared into the bushes before he could say anything else. He scrambled to his paws and ran off when he heard the sound of thundering paws echo though the forest.

* * *

**Silentheart had pups! What do you think of Dawntail **_**now**_**? R&R! **

**-Evanessence**


	35. Chapter 34: Rescue

**Ariana- Ohh! Yum! –eats cookie- Seriously, if you guys keep giving me cookies, uh…what am I saying? Nevermind! Carry on with your generous cookie giving!**

**Cinnamonpool- -takes Dawntail plushie- If only I can do that in the story! But then the story would end…that wouldn't be so interesting after all…**

**xXxForgottensongxXx- BuckXDawn is stupid, I know. Blame Buckstar for falling for her! Oh, I could eat Cocodough! Okay! –shows no mercy in mauling Cocodough- Yum! I am the Cookie Monster!!**

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire- Dawntail is the DEFINITION of major issues. If you look in the dictionary and look up major issues (which I know doesn't exist, but w/e) Dawntail's name is right there.**

**Okay, in this chapter, Buckstar gets a little Stuish. (Okay, I know he is a Stu, but he's my main character. Get over it.) And to clear up one thing, in this story there is TWO Ambers mentioned. One Amber is the one who committed suicide and Dawntail supposedly "couldn't help her". And there's a second Amber who gave birth in the DarkDen. They are two different wolves, not the same wolf. (I noticed that a bit too late! Forgive me! Ah! I'm acting like the Erins! Forgetting stuff! Oh noes!)**

* * *

Chapter 34- Rescue

Buckstar looked around the room, the light increasing with each step he took. _There must be some sort of a hole here leading outside._ Buckstar thought. _Maybe it's a way out!_

His hope was short-lived when Shade suddenly stopped, almost causing him to fall over on his own paws.

"Before I take you to your packmate, I have other things to show you."

"More?" Buckstar groaned.

"Oh, yes. You only learned about the Unworthy Wolves. High Wolves are the top of the pack…under me of course."

Buckstar shook his head. These wolves live in a complicated society, whilst he loved in a simple, ranked pack.

Shade led him to a closed den near the entrance of the hall. Buckstar knew now that these wolves called these wooden barriers 'doors'.

Fang sniffed around the 'door'. "Supreme One, it seems like Amber gave birth."

Buckstar sniffed also. He could smell the telltale scent of a mother and her pups.

"Good." Shade replied. "I expect all High Wolves in this litter." He smiled. "I'll see her later."

"Who's Amber?" Buckstar asked.

"My mate." Shade answered shortly. "This is the High Den, where the High Wolves stay. Come, you have to see the Supreme Den."

Buckstar reluctantly followed the first-in-command and Fang through the hall, passing by several wolves. They stared suspiciously at him before Buckstar moved on. He heard them whispering to themselves, making his light brown fur crawl. What are they whispering about?

Suddenly, Shade stopped in front of a rather large 'door'. Buckstar saw several long scratches scarred across the wood, indicating to him that whoever owned this must be powerful. Buckstar gulped uncertainly.

"This is my den." Shade said, puffing his chest in pride. "This used to be where the Dark One slept with his mate. I sleep there now with _my_ mate, but it seems now she has to move to the Cub Den. Only she and I are allowed in here, occasionally Tiger, my second-in-command, but only if he's invited, of course."

Buckstar did not care about whether or not he could enter Shade's den. All he's interested in is getting Lilyfrost safely back to the RainPack camp.

"Now onto the most important part of the DarkDen."

Fang smiled sheepishly. "And also my_ favorite_ part."

Shade flicked his ears nonchalantly. "My patience is quickly waning, Fang. _Be quiet_!"

The white wolf nodded and bowed his head.

Shade snorted and twitched his tail to Buckstar. "This way."

Buckstar walked from the Supreme Den to a large room with no walls or doors. Instead, the halls of the dens branched out around them. As Buckstar suspected, there was a hole on the roof, letting in the half moonlight stream in, illuminating a stone platform before him.

With a jolt, Buckstar realized there were _bloodstains_ on the stone and Shade must have noticed his sudden hesitation, for he smiled.

"You might think this is cruel, Buckstar, and I…understand that, considering your pack life. Every full moon, we have what is called a 'Sacrifice'. We sacrifice an Unworthy Wolf's soul for the great Darkness."

Buckstar froze. "You…_kill _them?"

Shade nodded. "Well, yes. They're just Unworthy Wolves after all."

Buckstar almost gagged in his disgust. _These wolves are insane! I've got to get Lilyfrost out of here, fast!_

"And I believe you, Buckstar, are the one I have been looking for."

The Alpha was confused. "What? Are you going to kill me?"

Shade shook his head. "Absolutely not. I'm doing exactly the opposite. I'm giving you a chance to _live_."

Buckstar raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"You see, Buckstar, there are certain wolves whom the Darkness has chosen to have a special duty. The Senkrad. They howl at the full moon when a Sacrifice is being held and the Darkness…well…"

"What happens?" Buckstar pressed.

"The Darkness enters the wolf's body and for a short while, the Darkness replaces the wolf soul with its own. For a period, the wolf _is_ the Darkness."

Buckstar was dumbfounded. "Is that why it has been trying to take over my body?"

"Exactly. You wonder why I haven't threatened your pack yet? I usually kill off packs like yours right away, but for some reason I knew you were the one I was looking for. So I decided to spare your pack."

Buckstar shivered involuntarily_. He spared RainPack just because he thought I could…oh, no…he's expecting me to howl at the full moon, isn't he? Never in his sick-minded dreams am I _ever_ going to do _that_ for him!_

Shade cocked his head. "You're being awfully quiet, Alpha. What are you thinking about?"

Buckstar suddenly bared his teeth. "I know you want me to howl, Shade, but I'm not doing anything for you, you monster!"

"Don't worry; I expected this reaction from you. I'm giving you until the full moon to think about it. Now, remember, the fate of your pack depends on you."

"Are you threatening me?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes.

Shade flicked his ears. "I suppose you want to see your packmate now, yes?"

The Alpha lashed his tail, his eyes still narrowed into tiny slits. These wolves truly_ were_ evil.

"Alright. Fang, let's go to the Prisoner's Den." Shade disappeared into the darkness, opposite the way they had come.

Fang sighed. "It's such a shame…she was just so pretty…"

Buckstar glared at him and followed Shade, his heart rising seemingly for the first time in ages. _Finally, I can see her and we can escape!_ He thought.

The first-in-command led him through the dark hall until he came to a closed den. A he-wolf was sleeping in front of it, his loud snores echoing through the vast hall.

Shade suddenly kicked him and the wolf woke up with a surprised yelp.

"Asleep again, Eagle?"

The black and white wolf looked down shamefully. For a moment, he reminded Buckstar of a younger-looking Larksong, but the Alpha shook the thought away.

"Go back to your den. You are not needed here anymore." Shade growled.

Eagle nodded obediently and switched his gaze to Buckstar. Recognition suddenly flared up in his amber eyes.

"Come, Buckstar." Shade nosed the door open and slithered. Fang followed him, casting one last sneer at Eagle.

"So _you're _the Alpha River was talking about." The young wolf whispered.

Buckstar nodded. "Then you're an Unworthy Wolf?"

Eagle nodded sadly.

Buckstar bared his teeth at the thought of Shade's discriminating ranks and he vowed to help these wolves whichever way he can. Somehow, someway.

"Shade's calling for you." Eagle told him.

Buckstar flicked his ears, catching the last part of his name coming from inside the door in Shade's husky voice. He then turned his attention back to Eagle. "Do you know the best way out of here?" He asked him.

Eagle sighed. "I wish."

Shade called him again and he could hear Fang starting to shift restlessly. "I better go." He said quickly. He looked at the door, which creaked open with the draft in the hall. He scented Lilyfrost's sweet smell drifting out and his neck hairs bristled in anticipation.

"Then go." Eagle whispered. "River-"

"Tell her that she's right." Buckstar interrupted him. "All Shade says are lies and I'm not going to fall for them like the other Alphas did before me. Tell her not all is lost. There is still hope as long as I live." Was he promising too much? However, before he could correct himself, he saw Eagle's eyes shine with forgotten hope.

"I'll make sure she hears it!" The Unworthy Wolf smiled and then quickly slithered out of sight.

Without waiting one second more, Buckstar pushed himself through the door, where he saw Shade and Fang near the door, murmuring softly to themselves and far in the corner...Lilyfrost!

Her eyes were downcast and focused on something on the ground. She appeared to be unharmed, though severely frightened.

"Lilyfrost!" Buckstar cried.

The silver she-wolf looked up, her lilac-colored eyes wide. "Buckstar?" She asked, her voice shaking.

Buckstar ran past Shade and Fang to meet her. He licked the top of her head and rubbed his neck against hers.

"I'm so scared…" Lilyfrost whispered into his fur and he could feel the wetness of her muzzle. She had been crying.

"I'm going to get you out of here." He growled and licked her cheek. He had been so worried about Lilyfrost that he had not thought about how they were going to escape. Surely, these insane wolves want them to stay for a bit longer. After a few moments, he had come up with a plan. Though not perfect, he was sure it would work, at least…if Lilyfrost would cooperate.

"Oh, what a sweet reunion!" Fang jeered and Shade cuffed the white wolf over his ears like a little pup.

"When I say go, you run as fast as you can out of here." Buckstar whispered in Lilyfrost's ear. "Larksong, Blackfrost and Sagetail are waiting for you."

At first, Lilyfrost looked disappointed and she muttered to herself, though Buckstar could hear, "Why Sagetail?"

Buckstar cocked his head. "Huh?"

Then she shook her head, much to his disappointment. "What about _you_?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll follow you. If I don't…" He took a shaky breath. "If I don't follow, don't stop. Keep going and whatever you do, _don't_ look back."

"No!" She hissed softly. "I'm not leaving you behind!"

"It was either me, or you." Buckstar growled. "And I chose you."

"But-"

"_It's an order!"_

Lilyfrost let out a whimper but before she could argue anymore, Buckstar left her and she gasped silently. He was padding straight towards Shade!

The Alpha had a smile on his face. "You know, Shade, your offer sounds _very_ convincing."

Shade blinked and his face broke into a grin. "I knew you would think of your pack first, Alpha!"

"I think I'll howl for you at the next full moon."

"Really?" Even Fang looked surprised of the Alpha's sudden willingness to cooperate.

Buckstar abruptly frowned. "No."

Shade bared his sharp teeth. "Then why did you-"

Without warning, the Alpha barreled into the wolf, knocking him to the ground. He could feel Shade's breath escape from his scarred muzzle and he started to struggle against Buckstar's heavy weight.

"Hey!" Fang jumped on Buckstar, his claws extended. He shoved the Alpha off his leader, but Buckstar acted fast and leaped back on Shade before the wolf can escape.

Buckstar winced as he felt Fang's sharp claws rake his shoulder and from underneath he felt Shade writhe and the claws of the first-in-command dig into his soft underbelly. "Go!" He howled to Lilyfrost, feeling yet another one of Fang's painful slashes against his shoulder.

She hesitated, wanted to help the Alpha, seeing he was outnumbered two to one. He did not seem like he was going to come out unscathed and she was afraid he was not going to come out _at all_.

"_NOW!_" Buckstar screeched as Shade escaped from under him, his silver body like liquid water under his paws.

Lilyfrost darted out the door, her fur only a silver streak to Buckstar's eyes.

The light brown he-wolf felt Fang sink his teeth into his already wounded shoulder and in return, he swiped at the white wolf's muzzle, bright red blood spurting on his snow-white pelt. The wolf bared his teeth and opened his maw to bite Buckstar once again, this time on his throat, but he was suddenly dragged off the Alpha before he had the chance to sink his teeth into warm flesh.

Shade's snarling face replaced Fang's bloody muzzle as Buckstar backed away, shaking his head to clear away the rushing adrenaline.

"You _idiot_!" The first-in-command roared. Surprisingly not to Buckstar, but to a cowering Fang.

Buckstar took advantage of their distraction to slip away out the door, his blood running from his shoulder, down his front leg and onto the floor.

Fang tore away from Shade and chased after the wounded wolf, his tongue lolling out and pupils dilated from all the excitement.

Buckstar raced down the wooden step, howling in agony as he took a misstep, slipped and crashed onto the floor. Wolves started to stir around him and he scrambled to get back up, hearing the thundering paws of Fang and Shade behind him.

Fang was within pouncing distance from the Alpha, but the wolf was faster, despite his injuries and he escaped through the entrance of the DarkDen. He let out a frustrated growl and leaped after the Alpha. Shade ran after the white wolf and into the night.

Buckstar saw Larksong and the others standing by the forest, but Fang had caught up with him and tackled him to the ground before he could get to them.

"Buckstar!" He heard Lilyfrost cry before Fang bit into his shoulder once again and he let out a piercing howl.

"Go ahead, Larksong, I'll take care of this!" The she-wolf hissed to the Beta wolf and he nodded understandingly, running into the forest with Blackfrost following closely. Sagetail lingered behind, but with a stern look from Lilyfrost, he reluctantly ran after them.

Buckstar dug his hind claws into Fang's soft underbelly and the wolf let out a roar of pain. Suddenly, Fang was shoved away and Lilyfrost appeared, hovering anxiously above him.

The Alpha scrambled back to his four paws and limped away into the forest, with the silver she-wolf following closely.

Fang tensed to continue his pursuit, but Shade pushed him back. "Let them go," He growled, "he'll come back. He's got until the full moon."

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**Nice ending there, huh? W/e, Buckstar saved Lilyfrost, blah blah blah. But what happens when they go back to camp? R&R!**

**-Evanessence**


	36. Chapter 35: A Hero's Return

**Thanks everyone for reviewing! We've reached the 100 reviews mark! -throws party-**

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Chapter 35- A Hero's Return

Buckstar crashed through the forest, the RainPack wolves surrounding him like a protective shield. They leaped across the border and all the wolves visibly sighed. They kept running until the Alpha flicked his tail, signaling it was safe for them to stop and rest.

They happened to stop at the LoneRock, all of them panting and out of breath. Their sprint was the fastest they had ever ran, the adrenaline still pounding through their veins.

Buckstar looked around and made sure every wolf was with him. Larksong, Blackfrost, Sagetail and now Lilyfrost. He hoped Hawkflight was at camp safe with the others.

"Let's rest here for a bit, and then we'll continue on our way." He said to the RainPack wolves and he sat down, wincing as his shoulder throbbed with pain. Dried blood crusted on the edges of the wound, but the bleeding had stopped, thank StarPack.

The others sat around them, grooming their ruffled fur.

Out of the corner of his eye, Buckstar spotted Sagetail edge closer to Lilyfrost and the she-wolf flinched.

"I'm glad you're safe." Sagetail whispered to her, licking her ear.

Lilyfrost drew back. "Please, Sagetail. Don't." She growled.

The light brown wolf frowned. "What's wrong? Don't you _appreciate_ being saved?"

Lilyfrost sighed. "_Buckstar _saved me. As I recall, _you_ were standing outside with the others." She wrapped her tail around her paws, not looking into Sagetail's sage-colored eyes.

"If I had the chance, Lilyfrost, I would've gone in and saved you myself, but-"

"Just leave me alone." Lilyfrost got up and padded away from him.

Buckstar was about to turn away when he heard Sagetail mutter to himself, "Why does she have to be so stubborn?"

The Alpha shook his head and bent over to lick his wound, but he caught the lilac-colored eye of Lilyfrost as she walked towards him.

"You're hurt." She whined as she looked at his shoulder, her eyes troubled.

"I'm fine." He grunted and started to lick his wound with fast, thorough strokes.

Lilyfrost let out a whimper. "I'll do it." She offered.

"No, I can do it by myself. I'm not a pup." Buckstar growled between licks.

Lilyfrost growled in frustration. "Why are you acting like this? You just saved me from those horrible wolves and the least I can do is-"

"_Stop_!" Buckstar bared his teeth and whipped his head towards the she-wolf. "I would've done the same thing for any other RainPack wolf!"

Lilyfrost flinched, stung.

"Why don't you go to Sagetail? He seems to have a _keen_ interest in you."

"I hate him!" She growled, her pelt starting to bristle violently.

Buckstar blinked. "Huh?"

"I hate the stupid he-wolf! Don't you see, Buckstar? I l-" She was stopped mid-sentence by a sudden shriek coming from the forest.

Dawntail crashed through the clearing her pregnant belly weighing her down, but surprisingly she made it through as if she was not pregnant at all.

Buckstar jumped up. "Dawn? What are you-"

The she-wolf's blue eyes had a wildfire in them as she ran towards him.

Buckstar tensed. She did not look too happy to see him back. Suddenly, she stopped, looked around and then narrowed her eyes at Lilyfrost. The silver wolf in turn gave her a defiant growl.

"What's going on?" The Alpha asked his mate, padding closer to her.

Dawntail blinked at him, the fire in her eyes gone in an instant. "I see you've got here all safe and sound." She then flicked her tail at his shoulder wound. "Well, almost."

"Why are you out of the Nursery?" Lilyfrost dared to ask.

Dawntail flipped her head at her, teeth bared. "I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to my _mate_."

Lilyfrost bowed her head, suddenly very uncomfortable.

Buckstar switched his gaze around both she-wolves, more confused than anything. "What's going on here?"

Lilyfrost opened her mouth to reply, but Dawntail was faster.

"Nothing, Bucky. I was just _so_ worried about you that I just _had_ to find out where you were." She smiled a smile so sweet and convincing that Buckstar had to smile too.

"Dawn, you know I can take care of myself. Besides, you need to take care of yourself because our pups are due about any day now!" He told her, licking her muzzle.

Dawntail glanced at Lilyfrost before brushing herself against her mate. She then started to lick his wound gingerly, her long strokes washing the blood away. Buckstar gave her an appreciative whine and closed his eyes.

Lilyfrost snarled and turned away from them, her eyes burning holes in the ground under her.

Buckstar saw Larksong pad up to them and he separated himself from Dawntail, who gave a disappointed grumble.

"We should start going, Buckstar," The Beta wolf said and then his ice blue eyes caught sight of Dawntail. "Oh…I didn't know you came."

The she-wolf opened her mouth to answer, but Buckstar replied for her.

"She didn't come with us…it's a long story, trust me."

Larksong shrugged and said, "The rest of us are getting restless to get back."

Sagetail had appeared next to Lilyfrost, much to the she-wolf's apparent frustration. He put his tail on her shoulders and growled, "_Very_ restless, right, Lilyfrost?"

The silver she-wolf just shrugged off his tail and growled.

Blackfrost was the last to gather around and he arrived with a scowl. "What are we waiting for?"

Buckstar blinked. "Nothing, so let's go."

Before he left, he saw Lilyfrost push herself away from Sagetail and quickly slither away, giving Buckstar more suspicions about their relationship.

He started to run back to the camp, the bright moonlight guiding their way. Dawntail ran alongside him, surprisingly keeping pace with him despite her pregnant stomach.

One thought had been nagging Buckstar ever since he left his packmates to venture inside the strange DarkDen. As he and he mate ran side-by-side, he asked her, "Did Hawkflight make it back to camp?"

Dawntail frowned and her ears flattened against her head. "Well, let's just say you won't be seeing him for quite a while."

Buckstar blinked, his heart sinking. "What do you mean?"

"You'll see." She replied shortly, the thundering paws of the wolves following them drowning out her smooth voice.

Then they entered the RainPack camp. The wolves were at their home once again.

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Buckstar let out a howl as soon as he crossed the entrance of the camp, signifying the return of the rescue patrol.

For a moment, there was silence except for the constant rushing of the waterfall outside of the Healer's Den. Then, a dark gray head poked out of the Nursery. It was Fernleaf. Then, a smaller, black head appeared.

"Father!" Hollypaw cried and ran up to Larksong, who washed his daughter's face in licks.

Fernleaf padded up to Buckstar, a tired look on her face.

The light brown wolf looked down at her paws and saw the smears of blood on them. "What…happened?" He asked, his voice shaking.

"Silentheart gave birth!" Hollypaw said excitedly, mostly towards her father, who smiled.

Blackfrost's ears shot forward. "She did?" Without waiting for anyone to answer, he dashed towards the Nursery.

Fernleaf sighed. "Not only that," she glanced at Dawntail, who flattened her ears for some reason. "I'll…tell you later."

Buckstar had a feeling it was about Hawkflight, but he pushed it away. "Anything else?"

"Fortunately, no." Fernleaf blinked and turned to Larksong. "Your mate is worried sick about you. You should go see her, but the Nursery's crowded now with Blackfrost now in there-"

"I'll go see her. Thanks, Fernleaf. C'mon, Hollypaw, let's go see your mother." Larksong padded away, his daughter in tow. The Beta wolf stopped in front of the Nursery and Sparrowfeather came rushing out, covering his face in licks.

Buckstar's eyes drifted to Dawntail. She was staring back at him. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Thinking that if their love was so strong as Larksong and Sparrowfeather's that it would last for eternity. Buckstar smiled to himself. Of course, it would be like that. He loved Dawntail and the pups she was carrying more than anything else and nothing will ever change that, not even the Darkness or Shade.

"Do you want to see Silentheart's new pups?" Fernleaf abruptly asked.

Buckstar broke away from Dawntail's steady gaze and nodded. He definitely wanted to see the first litter born to RainPack!

"I'll see them later." Sagetail said gruffly, even though the question was not directed at him. "Right now I'm so tired I can barely lift my paws. Come with me to the Pack Den, Lily."

Lilyfrost looked confused and disgusted at the same time. "My name is _not_ Lily."

Sagetail smiled, though to Buckstar, it looked fake. "Let's go."

Buckstar remembered what Lilyfrost had said about the he-wolf and thought Sagetail cannot make her go with him, unless-

"I'm coming." She sighed, her voice small.

Sagetail's smile grew even bigger. "That's right." He then padded towards the Pack Den and slipped inside, the lichen swaying after his light brown tail disappeared.

Fernleaf, who had been surprisingly quiet all this time, looked at Buckstar's shoulder. "I'll get you some cobwebs for that. Meet me in the Nursery." She then walked away from them and went into her den.

Lilyfrost, however, stayed where she was, staring at Buckstar, a certain longing in her eyes. Buckstar was clearly surprised but before he could ask her about it, Dawntail suddenly growled.

"Sagetail's waiting for you." She lashed her tail and narrowed her eyes, impatient.

Buckstar looked away from the silver she-wolf, breaking their stare.

"I suppose." Lilyfrost sighed heavily and padded into the Pack Den. Buckstar thought he saw the glint of sage-colored eyes through the lichen, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

_But I thought she said she _hated_ him…_Buckstar thought. _Something's wrong and I'm afraid the only one who can tell me is Lilyfrost. _

"What are we waiting for, Buckstar?" Dawntail asked him, then followed his eyes to the Pack Den. She frowned. "Don't worry about her. She's _fine_."

The Alpha shook his head. "I don't know, but I _am_ worried. She's my friend after all."

Dawntail scoffed. "And I'm your_ mate_ and I say let's go."

Buckstar shrugged and figured if Lilyfrost wanted someone else in her life besides him, it was her decision to make, not his. "Okay, Dawn." He replied, taking his eyes off the Pack Den.

Dawntail's muzzle broke into a grin. "Let's see these pups. I guess I'll have a glimpse of what my pups are going to look like."

"_What did you say_?" Had Buckstar heard what he _thought_ he heard?

Dawntail looked panicked. "Did I say that? Oh, no, _not_ like that." She let out a light laugh, which sounded nervous to Buckstar's ears. "How can you think that? These pups are _yours, _no doubt about it."

Buckstar raised a brow and shook his head. "Dawn, what's going on? You're acting very strange."

The she-wolf shook her head vigorously. "There's _nothing_ going on, Bucky, trust me." Then she smiled her convincing smile again, and Buckstar's heart fluttered. The thoughts of Dawntail possibly cheating on him vanished.

He licked her and brushed his muzzle along her neck. "Okay, I trust you."

Dawntail licked him back. With her snout, she then pointed to his shoulder wound, which seemed to have gotten redder since she had last seen it. "Doesn't that hurt?" She asked her mate.

"A lot." Buckstar admitted with a slight groan.

"Fernleaf said she'll be in the Nursery, so let's hurry." Dawntail left him without waiting for him to answer.

Buckstar watched her leave, a heavy feeling coming upon him. _Why can't I find the trust I need in my mate? _He thought. _She's acting so hostile to Lilyfrost and very strange towards me. I wish she would tell me what's really going on._

He shook his head to get rid of these thoughts and padded towards the Nursery where he could hear the faint cry of newborn pups.

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**I'm going to be on a short three day hiatus so this won't be updated until then. What do you think of Dawntail _now_? She's one bad wolf, _that _I can assure you. R&R!**

**-Evanessence **


	37. Chapter 36: Love's Complications

**Thanks everyone for reviewing! This is a shorter chapter, but like they say, it's short and sweet.**

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Chapter 36- Love's Complications

Buckstar entered the Nursery and the scent of blood immediately hit his nostrils_. I didn't know births can be so bloody. _He thought with a shiver.

"Only two, Silentheart?" Dawntail asked as he made his way inside. He saw Stormpaw roll up a wad of bloody moss, crinkling his nose in disgust and Redpaw with another, but unlike Stormpaw, he looked glad to be helping to clean the Nursery.

"By the size your stomach was I could've sworn there were four." Dawntail flicked her tail for Buckstar to sit at her side and he did, wrapping his tail around his paws.

The Alpha saw Silentheart lying on her side, two little pups suckling from her belly. Twilightpaw was next to her, sorting some sort of leaves into neat piles. Blackfrost was at her other side, licking his mate's ears.

"They're beautiful." Buckstar whispered, looking at the puppies. One was dark brown and bulky, the other was light gray, like the color of a cloudy sky.

Blackfrost nuzzled Silentheart, who gave Buckstar a small smile.

"There you are." Fernleaf made her way next to Buckstar, cobwebs hanging from her jaw and a paw full of crushed berries.

Buckstar winced as she started to rub the berries on his wound and after a few moments, she gave a grunt.

"What's wrong?" He heard Dawntail ask the Healer.

"It's infected." Fernleaf replied, her paws working in the juices so that the Alpha's wounds can heal properly. "The wolf that bit him must have some sort of disease."

Buckstar remembered Fang, the annoying white wolf. He did not _seem _to have any disease, but then again, those strange wolves could have _anything_.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dawntail asked Fernleaf.

"He'll be fine. He just needs to take it easy for a while. Here, I'm going to put some cobwebs on it." She did so, Buckstar whimpering softly with pain.

Twilightpaw gave Silentheart some of those strange leaves. "These are borage leaves, Silentheart." She whispered to her. "Eat them and your milk will be better for your pups."

The golden wolf ate them, shaking her head with the tangy taste.

Fernleaf finished dressing Buckstar's wound. "I'm going to go clean my paws and help Stormpaw and Redpaw clean up the Nursery." She gave them a curt nod then whisked away.

"She's so busy now," Buckstar said, "I wonder when she finds time to rest!"

"She does." Twilightpaw answered. "Remember? She has me to help her now."

Buckstar nodded. "That's right."

Twilightpaw's face then turned solemn. "Did you…find anything while you were gone, Buckstar?" She asked.

The Alpha sighed. "I'll talk about it later."

"Alright."

Dawntail gave a light cough. "Have you thought of any names for them yet, Blackfrost?" She asked the black wolf.

Blackfrost looked at Silentheart. "Yes. For the brown pup here," He pointed to his son with his tail. "His name will be Bearpup. For this one," His tail flicked towards his daughter. "Her name will be Icepup."

Buckstar looked at the newly named Bearpup and Icepup. They had fallen asleep and Silentheart was now licking them, her soft tongue caressing her new children. He smiled at the pure love that radiated between the three. The blind pups did not have any idea who their other was, but they could sense the feeling of being wanted and protected.

Suddenly, there was a squeal and Sparrowfeather's pups ran up to them, their drowsiness vanishing in an instant.

"Here comes the terrible three." Dawntail muttered.

"New puppies!" Hazelpup piped up, sniffing at the newborns.

Crowpup let out a small howl. "Do they want to play?" He asked, while his brother, Owlpup, tried to get a closer look at the two.

Silentheart gently nosed the brown pup away from her litter when he got too close.

"They're too young, Crowpup." Blackfrost said to the puppy. "You'll have to wait until they're older to play."

"Aw!" The black pup whined and abruptly tackled Hazelpup, who let out a surprised squeal. The duo tumbled around on the ground, but stopped when Twilightpaw let out a growl.

"Not so close, pups. The new puppies are sleeping and you don't want to wake them up." She nudged them away from Silentheart and they resumed their game as soon as she left them alone. She slipped out of the den, probably to help her mentor.

Buckstar sighed. "They need to be apprenticed. They're almost six moons old."

Dawntail nodded her agreement. "The Nursery will be a lot quieter without them, believe me."

Her mate touched his nose to hers. "Just wait until our pups are born. I still can't believe it and it's been…how long?"

Dawntail chuckled. "Too long."

Blackfrost suddenly let out a huff. "I better get going and get something for Silentheart to eat." He looked at Dawntail for some reason, his ice blue eyes unblinking.

Dawntail shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, me too. I'm getting hungry after what happened, I-"

"I'll get it for you." Buckstar interrupted her, flicking his tail and getting up.

"But, Buckstar, don't you want to spend more time with Silentheart and her pups?"

The Alpha shook his head. "No. She's tired and probably all she wants now is some peace and quiet." He pointed his tail to Silentheart, who nodded faintly. "I'm also hungry too. I haven't eaten since I left to rescue Lilyfrost."

Dawntail let out a sigh and lied down on the floor, her head resting on her paws. "If you insist, Buckstar."

Buckstar glanced at Blackfrost, who looked disappointed. The real reason he was going to fetch prey for Dawntail is that he did not want the black wolf and his mate together at all. Even though he trusted her, he still had his doubts and he was going to avoid the problem altogether.

Blackfrost slithered outside, his pelt blending in perfectly with the dark night.

Buckstar followed him, his paws lightly stepping on the newly cleaned bedding. _Stormpaw and Redpaw had done a good job. _He thought. _Redpaw probably had done all the work, knowing my brother._

He padded towards the fresh-kill pile, which seemed to be running lower and lower these days. It was almost winter, so they would have to get more than this to survive! _The RainPack wolves are just being lazy. _Buckstar growled. _And with Shade and his wolves out there, we just might have to compete for food. _

He saw Blackfrost choose a chaffinch and Buckstar himself chose a young fox. He watched the black wolf slither back into the Nursery and the Alpha narrowed his eyes. He slipped indie the warm Nursery and he dropped the fox at Dawntail's paws. The she-wolf looked up at her mate and sighed heavily, not even looking at the prey.

"Eat some, Dawntail. I'm going to sleep in the Pack Den tonight."

Dawntail flicked her ears, showing that she had heard. She opened her mouth and bit the fox's flank, ripping off a chunk of red flesh.

As he waited for his mate to finish eating, Buckstar's hunter green gaze drifted towards Blackfrost. The black wolf was staring at them as he sat beside his mate, who was digging into the chaffinch hungrily. Buckstar narrowed his eyes and Blackfrost turned away.

"There." Dawntail pushed the half eaten fox towards him.

"Are you sure you don't want more? Prey is scarce this time of year and with the pups-"

"I'm fine." The ginger she-wolf growled at him and closed her eyes, as if she wanted him to leave.

Buckstar understood and grabbed the fox in his powerful jaws. Just then, Larksong and Sparrowfeather padded back into the den, the he-wolf licking his mate's ears affectionately. Buckstar did not have to guess that they had just mated. He left the Nursery without looking back and he padded towards the Pack Den.

He nosed apart the lichen and he slithered inside, his paws suddenly feeling like deadweights. As he walked deeper inside, he noticed a sniffling coming from his side and he turned his head, seeing Lilyfrost sitting by herself, her head buried in her chest fur.

Buckstar dropped his prey and he padded closer to her, his expression worried rather than curious. "Lilyfrost?" He asked.

The she-wolf jumped at the sound of her name. She looked up at Buckstar and shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, Buckstar, you scared me-"

"Were you crying?" The Alpha asked, noticing the silver wolf's tear-streaked face.

Lilyfrost shook her head and took a deep breath, as if she was composing herself. "I'm fine."

The he-wolf bared his teeth. "You don't have to lie to me, Lilyfrost. Sagetail did this to you, didn't he?"

Lilyfrost was alarmed and she looked around. "No he didn't! Just leave me alone!"

Buckstar bowed his head and his deep voice grew soft. "I don't know why you're doing this to me, but I'm just trying to help. I wish we could be friends again."

The silver she-wolf's lilac eyes were cold. "It's too late for that, Buckstar. Go away."

For a moment, Buckstar regretted risking his life for this wolf. _She doesn't deserve to be rescued_! He thought. However, seeing her miserable like this, he thought twice. _I'm an Alpha. I'm responsible for her safety. For _everyone's_ safety._

Leaving her, he padded back to his half eaten prey. He sat down on the mossy floor and prodded his prey half-heartily. He suddenly did not feel like eating. A silhouette fell across the moonlit entrance and Sagetail padded inside the Pack Den.

Buckstar forced himself not to howl in his frustration. He heard Sagetail murmur something, but it was too soft for the Alpha to catch and then he heard Lilyfrost shift around in her makeshift nest. Soon, there was silence in the Pack Den except for the snores coming from rest of the wolves sleeping around the den.

Buckstar reluctantly bit into the fox's russet-red fur, the blood seeping into his jaws. _I have to eat to regain my strength. _He thought. _I have to face tomorrow like a true Alpha_. When he was done, he pushed the bones away and he yawned sleepily. Without another thought, he shut his eyes and let sleep's dark wave crash onto him.

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**C-l-i-f-f-h-a-n-g-e-r. I couldn't have said it in a better way.**

**-Evanessence**


	38. Chapter 37: Nightmare

**Here's chapter 37 so that means…13 more chapters until the end! Whoa, that's a lot of chapters to write…**

**-headdesk-**

**Thanks everyone for reviewing, especially Shrumie, who FINALLY reviewed! XD**

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Chapter 37- Nightmare

_Buckstar shifted restlessly, suddenly feeling very cold. He opened his eyes and came face to face with the darkness he knew so well. He jumped up and backed away, the black ooze swirling around him. _

_The he-wolf was about to run off when a pair of eyes suddenly appeared in the midst of all that black. A claw-like hand reached out of the darkness, reminding Buckstar of that strange Dark One. It grappled the air, as if it was trying to grab his fur._

_He jumped back and he snapped at the hand. The wolf never expected what he saw next. A large creature morphed out of the darkness, and it clambered out, almost crashing into him. _

_Buckstar could barely see the creature, but he could make out the figure. It had a wolf's head, but it walked on two legs, almost as if it were a Dark One. It had two arms with claw-like appendages and a tail. It did not have fur, instead it was as if it were made of smoke, the gray particles swirling around in its body._

"_Wssshhh-" The creature hissed, its voice like claws scraping stone. "Wsssssshhhhh-"_

_Buckstar scrambled backwards, opening his mouth to cry out, but his throat felt like it had not been used in years. The creature lumbered around, as if it was first learning how to walk. _

"_Who are you?" Buckstar dared to ask, his throat throbbing with the effort. The creature didn't reply, but just stopped its awkward walking. The wolf head turned to face Buckstar. Its pupil-less eyes seemed to penetrate through his light brown fur and he backed away into the darkness._

"_I said you cannot escape me!" The creature suddenly screeched, lunging at Buckstar. The Alpha jumped to the side in time, but when the creature flew past him, he felt a sudden feeling of hatred welled up inside of him. He felt icy claws rake down his spine and he writhed around. He was thrown to the ground, a weight pinning him down. Buckstar closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again, it was as if he had never opened them at all. The darkness engulfed him like a fire and he gasped, suddenly feeling claws dig into his chest._

"_Ah," The creature hissed in Buckstar's ears. The Alpha shivered at the voice…no, _noise_. _

"_We finally meet face to face," The two-legged wolf croaked, "in my true form." Buckstar suddenly saw eyes. Blood red eyes. They were staring down at him, almost mocking him. _

"_W-who-"_

"_You already know who I am!" The creature tightened its grip on Buckstar's chest and the Alpha let out a howl of agony. "I have been with you for a while now, Senkrad."_

_Buckstar gritted his teeth as he felt clawed hands grip his neck, almost as if they were going to choke him. "The Darkness!" He managed to choke out in his pain._

"_Ah, I see you remembered." The Darkness let go of his throat. "You will howl for my followers. You will…howl." Suddenly, the creature raised its wolf head and let out a howl, a howl so piercing Buckstar swore his ears were bleeding. Suddenly, the world around Buckstar shook with a light that came through the sky and a wolf jumped down into the darkness. It was Griffinstar._

_The Darkness let out an enraged hiss. "You!"_

"_Get away from him!" The StarPack wolf barked and leaped. _

_Buckstar felt the weight of the Darkness disappear from on top of him and he stood. The light shining down from the heavens illuminated the Darkness's face, if anyone can call it a face. It was a myriad of smoky gray colors moving about, forming the shape of a wolf's head. The Darkness had black, deep sockets for eyes and it did not have a mouth, instead a gaping hole took its place. Buckstar shivered at the unnaturalness of the sight._

_Griffinstar tackled the Darkness, his transparent body consumed by the smoky mess that made up the Darkness's body. Buckstar moved forward to help him, but his father was quickly thrown out, landing a few tail-lengths away from him, his body hitting the ground with a silent thud. _

_The Darkness let out a hiss and scrambled to attack Griffinstar, but the wolf backed away until he was next to his son. _

"_Get away from here." The former Alpha growled._

"_No!" The Darkness roared. "He is mine!" Suddenly, it rushed forward with amazing speed, hand-like claws stretching forward to grab Buckstar._

"_Now!" Griffinstar jumped in front of the Darkness's path and before Buckstar could stop him, the StarPack wolf was engulfed in complete darkness. _

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Buckstar woke up, his whole body trembling. It was dawn. He opened his eyes and blinked them sleepily. His heart sank when he remembered his dream…or was it a nightmare? _The Darkness…_he thought_…it got my father…_

He stood up and looked around, seeing the RainPack wolves sleeping around him. To his disgust, Lilyfrost was sleeping next to Sagetail, the he-wolf's tail wrapped around her back.

The Alpha padded out of the Pack Den and squinted at the sudden sunlight. He felt an aching throb on his shoulder and he looked at it, the cobwebs still wrapped around the bite Fang had given him yesterday. It was still inflamed, much to his disappointment and he decided he would see Fernleaf. He padded towards the Healer's Den and he spotted Twilightpaw padding out, her jaws full of borage leaves. She nodded curtly at him before walking past him towards the Nursery.

Buckstar slipped inside the den, the scent of herbs hitting his sensitive nose. Fernleaf was busy mixing herbs. It took Buckstar's light cough to get her to notice him.

The Healer looked at him and smiled. "Ah, just the wolf I wanted to see." She gathered some of the mixed paste in her paws and she padded towards him. She grabbed the cobwebs in her jaws and she pulled them away, exposing the inflamed flesh.

"It hasn't gotten any better." Fernleaf grunted and licked it, causing Buckstar to flinch. "It still hurts, doesn't it?" She asked.

Buckstar gritted his teeth and nodded. "Very much so."

"Let's see if this mixture I made will work." She started to spread the paste on his wound and almost instantly, he began to feel relief.

The Alpha suddenly remembered the nightmare he had and he gulped. Fernleaf must have sensed his sudden hesitation for she asked, "Do you want to talk?"

"It's…it's just a dream I had." Buckstar replied shakily.

"The Darkness again?" Fernleaf asked him, her voice grim. She finished spreading the mixture and she started to dress his wound with new cobwebs.

Buckstar nodded and sighed. "This time, it was bad."

Fernleaf nuzzled his uninjured shoulder. "Tell me about it."

The Alpha shook his head. "I think it's better for the whole pack to know." He got up and flexed his newly wrapped shoulder.

"If you think it would be for the best…" The Healer mumbled.

"It is." Buckstar assured her. Before he could say anything else, Twilightpaw padded into the den, her midnight blue eyes twinkling tiredly.

"I gave Silentheart her borage leaves." The apprentice yawned. "Bearpup and Icepup are doing fine."

Fernleaf nodded to her. "Thanks, Twilightpaw, now go rest. It looks like you haven't slept in moons!"

"I sure feels like I didn't." The light brown she-wolf muttered and padded past Buckstar, her tail disappearing into the depths of the den.

Fernleaf watched her go with a sigh. "She's been up all night caring for Silentheart's new pups."

"She's a hard worker." Buckstar tried hard to smile, but he could not. His heart was just too heavy. "I'm going to call a meeting and maybe we'll figure out about…Hawkflight."

Fernleaf frowned. "That coward. Go ahead; I'll be there in a few minutes."

Buckstar left the Healer's Den and padded into the camp, which already had a few wolves up and about. The Alpha jumped on the HighRock, his muscles aching with the effort. He then took a deep breath and barked the customary words:

"Any RainPack wolves old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the HighRock for a pack meeting!"

Almost instantly, wolves started to collect under the rock and with a sinking feeling, Buckstar realized that there was still not enough wolves to face the BloodPack wolves if there was to be a fight. _With Hawkflight gone, that would be one less warrior._ Buckstar thought grimly. _I regret ever making him a warrior at all. I thought he had potential to be a great RainPack wolf, but he chose his path and it's too late to turn back._

He saw Blackfrost pad out of the Nursery with Dawntail in tow, her head bowed low to the ground. He grimaced and focused on Hollypaw, Stormpaw and Redpaw padding out of the Pack Den. Stormpaw was now as big as Hollypaw was when she first became a RainPack wolf, though the she-wolf was bigger than he was now.

The Alpha noticed Sagetail and Lilyfrost slither after the apprentices. Lilyfrost looked distant and faded, though Sagetail looked exactly the opposite. Buckstar had to look away at the sight. Sparrowfeather led her three energetic pups outside the Nursery, with their proud father after them.

Once all the wolves were settled, Buckstar cleared his throat. "As you may have noticed yesterday, Larksong, Sagetail, Blackfrost and I were gone for quite some time. What we found was…disturbing."

The crowd gasped.

"What is it?" Stormpaw asked above the other voices.

"It's called the DarkDen. It's some sort of shelter. A 'pack' of wolves that call themselves BloodPack take residence there."

"BloodPack?" Sparrowfeather suddenly screeched. "I know who they are!"

"You do?"

Larksong jumped up. "Before we came to RainPack, a she-wolf came to us. Her name was Violet. When she came to the forest, I did not recognize her, since it was so long ago. But, as you know, Buckstar, she is bad news." He sat back down and nuzzled Sparrowfeather, who looked very disturbed. The puppies around them sensed their fear and pressed closer into their fur.

Buckstar nodded grimly. "These BloodPack wolves are followers of the Darkness. They have no other purpose than to destroy the pack wolves." He then shivered, remembering his recent nightmare, where he actually saw the Darkness in its true, monstrous form.

The crowd started to murmur anxiously to themselves.

"But they have spared us." Buckstar called out above the noise.

"Why?" Blackfrost growled. "We are the same as any other pack."

Buckstar shook his head. "The only difference is you have me as an Alpha. They believe I am a Senkrad. They think I can howl to the full moon and bring the Darkness to them."

"That's nonsense!" Fernleaf spat from her place in the corner of the crowd. Twilightpaw shifted uneasily beside her.

"I know, Fernleaf. What they do in the full moon is…horrible…" He bowed his head at the thought of the Sacrifice.

"I bet it is!" Sparrowfeather suddenly hissed. "Tell them about the Unworthy Wolves, Buckstar. They ought to know."

Buckstar nodded and looked at Lilyfrost, who stared back up at him. The she-wolf also knew about the Unworthy Wolves and only StarPack knows what she has seen when she was a prisoner in that room. The Alpha broke their stare and began, "they have a different way of placing wolves into ranks. They have Unworthy Wolves, High Wolves and finally, the first-in-command, or Supreme One."

"Unworthy Wolves are the lowest of the pack and are considered filth. They have no purpose in the pack other than to serve the higher ranked wolves, or High Wolves."

Some wolves let out howls of outrage and others sat in stunned silence.

"Shade, the Supreme One, has asked me to howl for BloodPack when the full moon comes, when the…Sacrifice takes place."

"What is the Sacrifice?" Stormpaw asked, his voice shaking.

Buckstar closed his eyes. He was afraid of that question. "A Sacrifice is when…is when they kill an Unworthy Wolf for the Darkness."

The crowd gasped in unison.

"Don't do it, Buckstar!" Lilyfrost suddenly cried. "Don't!"

The Alpha gritted his teeth. "He threatened the safety of RainPack. He…threatened to kill us if I don't."

The crowd went deathly silent, except for the soft yelps of Sparrowfeather's puppies.

"We have to fight them!" Larksong abruptly growled and that raised a chorus of howls and barks.

Buckstar shushed them with a swift bark. "We can't! We don't have enough wolves! Now with Hawkflight gone, it's one less warrior to fight for us."

"I hate Hawkflight!" Redpaw howled, his voice shaking with fury. "He abandoned us!"

"It was his choice." Buckstar growled icily. "If he comes back to RainPack, he will be killed for trespassing on our territory."

"That's right!" Hollypaw hissed.

The crowd broke in angry muttering, but Buckstar again quieted them with a bark.

"I'm not going to let Shade destroy my pack like he did so many others." Buckstar sighed, forgetting to mention the first-in-command's siblings, who also have their own 'packs'.

"But how?" Larksong asked. "If we don't have enough wolves to fight them, what other options do we have?"

Buckstar suddenly smiled, his hunter green eyes flashing with some unknown knowledge. "I know wolves that would be more than happy to help us."

* * *

**Cliffhanger again! R&R, por favor!**

**-Evanessence**


	39. Chapter 38: No Hope

**Thanks for reviewing, everyone! I appreciate your constructive criticism, Ready OpenFire and Painted Inkblot! You helped me see that this story needs some major editing, so that's what I have been doing these past few days. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been really busy. This chapter (hopefully) has better grammar than the last 37(!) chapters. It's also a bit longer than usual, so…yeah. Also, I'll stop 'whoring' for reviews at the end. I didn't know it was so annoying to some people. **

**-Evanessence**

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Chapter 38- No Hope

River stretched on the wooden floor of the Unworthy Den, her jaws open in a silent yawn. Her sister was sitting next to her, her little pup nuzzled into her belly fur. River sat down and nuzzled Leaf affectionately, her scarred muzzle burying into the light brown fur. The dawn light flickered through the only window, illuminating the three wolves.

Canyon was sitting by himself in the shadows of the back wall of the den. He was staring at Leaf, his amber eyes narrowed. He knew the pup she was caring for would surely bring them trouble from Shade.

Eagle, who was sitting near the half-open door of the room, gave a bark. "Rage is coming with food!" He turned to Leaf. "Quick, hide Ginger!"

Leaf let out a growl and picked up her pup by her scruff. Ginger let out a pitiful whine as the she-wolf carried her off into the depths of the den, where Jay was sleeping, her small flank rising and falling in rhythm. The dark gray she-wolf opened her blue eyes and blinked at Leaf.

The light brown wolf nudged Ginger towards her and Jay understood, taking her from the she-wolf and padding into a secret room where only the Unworthy Wolves knew about. Leaf scurried next to River again, Jay joining her a moment before Rage slithered into the room, a russet-red fox in his jaws.

The red-eyed wolf dropped the prey in front of Eagle.

"There's your food. Fox tastes good," He chuckled and licked his lips. He then slipped back out of the door. Right after his black tail disappeared through the doorway, Eagle shut the door with a thud.

Jay quickly got up and padded towards the secret room to retrieve Ginger.

From the back of the room, Canyon padded up to the prey and sniffed it. He pawed at it and growled, "Rage already took a bite out of it!"

River snorted. "As if we had enough to share already." She walked up to the prey and grimaced with disgust.

Jay returned with Ginger in her jaws. She placed the pup by Leaf and padded up to the fox, sniffing at the prey. "We have to share or else we'll starve,"

Leaf licked Ginger, the blind pup letting out a little squeal. "She's hungry, Jay," The she-wolf whined, "Feed her some of that milk, would you?"

The dark gray she-wolf snapped at her. "What do you want me to do? I can't help you if I'm dying from starvation!"

"Then eat!" Leaf spat back, curling her tail around the pup protectively.

"I will!" Jay abruptly attacked the meat with such force that River and Canyon had to back away in order to avoid being splattered by blood.

"StarPack help us," River mumbled, "look at what we've come to."

"That won't help us now," Canyon muttered to her. He then growled at Jay, who was still eating hungrily. "That's enough, Jay! We all have to eat too!"

The dark gray she-wolf whirled on him. "Make me!" She hissed threateningly.

River blinked in surprise. She had never seen the usually quiet wolf this moody and irritable. "Jay, please understand," She started but the she-wolf shook her head vigorously.

"I don't want to listen to you! I don't want to listen to anyone!"

Canyon's muscles tensed, but River flicked her tail on his shoulder, making him relax.

"Jay," The she-wolf murmured softly, "we never asked for this. I know you're hungry. We all are. Remember what that Alpha told us-"

"Do you believe what that stupid wolf tells you?" Jay snapped at her. "He's with Shade. The Darkness has him too!"

"I saw him run away with that she-wolf," River argued, "as long as he stays away from here, he's safe."

"How do you know?" Jay challenged her; her bloodstained teeth making her look eerie. "He has until the full moon, or didn't you hear? He's one of those 'Senkrad' wolves."

Canyon let out a loud growl. "No!"

"That can't be! Only a few wolves-"

Jay started to pace. "Have you ever wondered why Shade wasn't quick to destroy that pack as the others? He knew the Alpha was a Senkrad, so he spared them. Now he wants him to howl at the Sacrifice to bring the Darkness to BloodPack."

Canyon's amber eyes narrowed. "If the Alpha had any brains he would have refused."

"But you don't know Shade," Jay hissed at him, "I've been with him more than any of you, remember? If he's the bloodthirsty leader I know, he would have put the Alpha with his five lives and his pack at stake."

River's heart raced in her anxiety. "I saw him. He didn't look like the type of wolf that would give up his pack that easily-"

"But that's how they fall." Jay lashed her tail and pushed the meat to her. "Eat."

The light gray she-wolf reluctantly obliged, taking a few bites before pushing it to Canyon, who himself took a few bites.

"See, Shade isn't as stupid as he seems. He and his High Wolves have a plan," Jay growled, "they _always_ have a plan."

Leaf slowly padded up to them and took a bite of the prey. She then looked up at the dark gray she-wolf. "Jay, whenever you can-"

"I'll get the pup her milk!" The she-wolf brushed past her and Leaf followed her, her tail dragging on the ground.

Eagle shuffled forward to take his few bites. Once he was done, all that was left of the fox were bones, which he dragged to his place by the door, gnawing on them.

River sighed and wrapped her tail around her paws. "I hope that Alpha does something about this."

Canyon snorted. "That's false hope, River." He started to lick his bloody paws to clean them.

The she-wolf flicked her ears. "It may be, but it's all I _can_ do."

Suddenly, there was a loud creak as the door opened and a wolf crashed onto the maroon colored floor of the room. The Unworthy Wolves drew back as the new wolf looked around them, a frightened look coming to his eyes.

Rage poked his head into the room and snarled at the he-wolf sprawled on the floor.

"Stay there, feather-head!" Without another word, the black wolf slammed the door shut.

The wolves were deathly silent as the newcomer shakily stood up on his four paws. He was a dark ginger wolf with a scar running down his right eye, reminding them of Shade.

Canyon stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The newcomer snarled. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because we're just like you," River said to him, her voice calm.

The dark ginger he-wolf narrowed his amber eyes and flicked his ears forward. Tucked behind his ear was a single brown hawk feather. "What do you mean?" He asked defensively.

"You're an Unworthy Wolf, aren't you?" River asked him. The wolf looked confused, so she explained, "Isn't that the Mark? The scar on your right eye?"

"This?" The wolf pressed a paw on his scarred eye. "I got this from a hawk,"

"Oh." River blinked in confusion.

"What's your name?" Canyon abruptly asked him, his tail lashing. "You_ must _have one, no?"

The he-wolf turned to him and sighed. "Hawkflight,"

"A double name?" Jay shoved her way towards the front of the group until she was face to face with Hawkflight. "Are you from a pack?"

"Well, used to."

River nudged him in sympathy, but he scooted away from her.

"Why am I here? Who are you?" He asked quickly, but Jay silenced him with a flick of her tail before he could finish his string of questions.

"We are Unworthy Wolves and this is the DarkDen. You are not exactly welcome here, but this is all we have." Jay's blue eyes glimmered as she said, "while you're here, we'll call you Hawk."

Hawkflight grimaced. "Why?"

Jay flicked her tail. "Shade doesn't like double names. It has to do with the pack life. We all had to change our names."

"Who's Shade?" Hawkflight asked.

Eagle stepped forward until he stood next to Canyon. "Only the evilest, most monstrous wolf you'll ever meet!"

Hawkflight's amber eyes flashed for a moment before Canyon growled, "you will have to forgive him, Hawk," he grumbled, "he's still a pup."

The dark ginger he-wolf's pelt bristled in anger. "I've seen him before. He was one of the wolves who captured me when I was still in the forest." He shivered. "Only a few moments ago I was running from this, and here I am. I'm practically caught in it."

River murmured sympathetically to him.

Canyon lashed his tail. "Argh! Another wolf to care for and feed. Just what we need!"

River's scarred muzzle grimaced. "It's not his fault!" She snapped at the he-wolf.

Canyon almost whirled on her, but something held him back.

Jay, who had been oddly quiet, watched them. She then turned to Hawkflight, who looked back at her. "You better have a death wish if you're planning to stay here," She mumbled.

Hawkflight snarled. "Do I have another choice?"

Jay smirked. "No." With that, she padded back to Leaf and Ginger, who both had fallen asleep, the light brown wolf's tail curled around the pup.

Hawkflight was about to lunge at her before a light cough interrupted him. He turned around and was muzzle-to-muzzle with River. He backed away, a snarl on his lips.

"There's no need to be aggressive." The light gray she-wolf's blue eyes met his and for some reason, the he-wolf relaxed. "We're all stuck in the same situation and it's not going to help any if we fight amongst ourselves." She shot a glance at Canyon, who narrowed his eyes.

"Can we escape from here?" Hawkflight asked her, but the she-wolf shook her head.

"All we can do is stay here and wait,"

"Wait for what?"

River's eyes suddenly turned sad, so sad that Hawkflight had to question himself on what he said. _Did I say something wrong?_ He thought.

"Wait for a miracle," River finished with a sigh. She then suddenly smiled at him as if she remembered something. "My name is River. The bear-brain over here is Canyon."

The dark brown wolf growled at her from his place by the window.

Hawkflight flicked his tail and glared at Canyon. "Nice to meet you too!" He retorted.

Canyon eyed him angrily and bared his teeth. "You think you're so tough just because you came from a pack? Well-"

"Don't forget, Canyon," River pointed out lightly, "you came from a pack too."

The wolf's expression turned grim. "It was so long ago that I almost forgot."

Hawkflight was about to reply when he felt a nudge to his shoulder. The black and white wolf that called himself Eagle was standing behind him, a playful, crooked smile plastered on his face.

"My name is Eagle!" The young wolf said, his tail wagging furiously. "It's a bird, just like a hawk!"

Hawkflight flicked his tail. "How do you know of hawks?"

"I used to live in the mountains with my pack," Eagle answered him, his young, usually spirited voice quiet with sorrow, "there were a lot of eagles and hawks there, you know."

The dark ginger wolf nodded. "I do. I used to live there too, but not in a pack. I was a loner."

Eagle's eyes suddenly shined in his amazement. "Wow! So you have to fend for yourself and all that?"

Hawkflight nodded. "You know, you remind me of someone from my pack…," He started to say, but Eagle interrupted him with a bark.

"Yeah! I've seen him!"

"You have? Uh, how?"

Eagle nodded. "When your pack came yesterday, how else?"

Hawkflight's claws dug into the mossy ground and his pelt started to bristle. "How do you know that's _my _pack?"

Eagle's amber eyes suddenly flashed with fear. "I-" He started to shiver violently.

River padded up to his side and blinked at Hawkflight, noticing his sudden anger. "What's wrong?" She asked, flicking her tail on Eagle's shoulder to calm the wolf. "Isn't that your pack?"

Eagle took one last look at Hawkflight before padding back to his spot by the door.

Hawkflight's amber gaze turned to River. "It's not my pack anymore. I was never suited for pack life, so I left." He knew that was a lie, he thought it was better than telling the truth.

"So you left, just like that?" Canyon suddenly growled. "At least living there would be a lot better than living in this insanity,"

Hawkflight bowed his head. "I was trying to run away from all that. I wanted to be a loner again."

"Then you are a coward," Canyon growled, "I would love to be in my old pack again."

Hawkflight lashed his tail. "I'm not a coward; I'm just looking out for myself!"

River looked at him, her steady blue gaze piecing through his ginger fur. "One thing is fending for yourself, Hawk, another is running away from danger. You knew there was going to be trouble here. You could have noticed it the moment you laid eyes on the DarkDen."

Hawkflight narrowed his eyes. "How do _you _know?"

"Because I have experienced it myself." River shook her head. "I'm sorry you have to be entangled in this, Hawk."

"Sorry doesn't fix anything," The he-wolf growled.

Canyon suddenly cocked his head to the side. "I'm curious, Hawk. If you hated pack life so much, why did you join in the first place?"

Hawkflight's eyes shadowed. "Dawntail wanted to join."

"Who's she?"

"She used to be my mate. She's-" Suddenly he broke off, and took a deep breath. "She used to belong to a pack herself, but ever since I met her, and she fell in love with me," again he broke off.

"What's wrong?" River asked. "You don't want to talk about it?"

Hawkflight shook his head. "If I'm going to stay here for a while, you might as well get to know me."

Canyon sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. "This Dawntail sounds intriguing. Tell us more." River sat down next to him, her ears flicked forward in interest.

Hawkflight copied them and sighed. "I never knew Dawntail will turn out to be the lying, cheating wolf she is now. Ever since she left her pack to be with me, she was just an apprentice too, she was always sly and not very straightforward."

"And this wolf is in your pack?" River asked, her face crinkled in disgust.

Hawkflight nodded. "My _former _pack. Eh, she's the Alpha's mate, actually."

"So she left you," Canyon concluded.

"I left _her_," Hawkflight corrected him; "she…was never the right one for me. And especially after what she did…"

"What did she do?" Canyon abruptly asked, but River shushed him with a flick of her tail.

"Keep going," She muttered to Hawkflight, who nodded.

"But I still continued to travel with her. I don't know why, but I guess I was just lonely. And when she told me about joining a pack again, I thought she was crazy at first, but she was serious. Dead serious. So she took me to the DreamPool,"

"Huh?" Canyon blinked in confusion.

"It's a place in my former pack's territory." Hawkflight told him. "Anyways, she said she spotted some wolves marking a border, so that would mean a pack was nearby. I didn't know what I was doing, but when those pack wolves attacked me, I didn't fight back. I was playing along with Dawntail's little scheme."

The two Unworthy wolves nodded as they listened.

"So when they took me to their pack, Buckstar,"

"The Alpha?" River asked. "That's his name?"

Hawkflight nodded. "He took us in. RainPack was a small pack then, and it still is, but ever since then, Dawntail has left my side and attached herself next to Buckstar. That poor he-wolf still doesn't know who he fell in love with." He bowed his head, signaling he was finished with his story.

"Buckstar promised us he will find a way to free us," River said, her light gray paws shuffling on the ground.

For once, Hawkflight felt guilty. "I know him. He will try his hardest to keep that promise." He shook his head. "I should have never left him."

"_Now _you feel regretful, huh?" Canyon growled. "When Buckstar and the pack, what was its name, RainPack, comes here, Shade and his followers will rip them apart."

"But, Canyon, remember he's a Senkrad." River told Canyon. "If Buckstar howls for him this full moon, which means RainPack will be spared."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Canyon said gruffly.

"What's a Senkrad?" Hawkflight asked River.

The light gray she-wolf turned to him and explained what it was and about the Sacrifice. Hawkflight nodded grimly, understanding.

"Buckstar would come up with a plan to stop it," He assured her, though the Unworthy wolf shook her head.

"Hawk, a full moon means another Sacrifice. Another killing. I don't know if I can see another puppy die in Shade's bloody paws." She looked at her sister and Ginger, who was still sound asleep. Jay had fallen asleep next to her, her frail body curled up in a tight ball.

Hawkflight bowed his head, his amber eyes burning holes in the mossy floor underneath him. _If Buckstar doesn't come and save us soon…_he thought_…there is no hope for _any _of us._


	40. Chapter 39: The Truth

**Here's chapter 39! Here it gets pretty emotionally strong, but that's why I rated this T.**

**-Evanessence**

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Chapter 39- The Truth

_The next day…_

Buckstar awoke from a dreamless sleep, one thing in his mind. He needed to get to the Unworthy Wolves and ask for their help. Yesterday, after the pack meeting, he had assigned a patrol to go to them, including himself. What the wolves' did _not _know was that he had secretly chosen the two wolves he wanted to talk to most. The full moon was only two days away and the he-wolf could feel the pack's anxiety prickling in the air like static.

He spotted Larksong standing near the entrance of the den, his large silhouette dancing with the shadows of the swaying lichen. The Alpha padded up to him and the Beta wolf gave him a respectful nod.

"Remember, Larksong," the brown he-wolf said to him, "to gather the apprentices and teach them last minute battle moves. Especially to Stormpaw…"

"Yes." Larksong nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. "I know how your brother is."

Buckstar smiled. "He hasn't had much opportunity to train-" He paused, glancing at Lilyfrost, who slept by herself. Sagetail was a few tail lengths away, his large flank moving up and down with each of his breaths. The Alpha shook his head, trying to clear the sudden, angry thoughts that came to his head.

"I'll make him work hard, Buckstar. You can count on me," Larksong said, flicking his tail.

Buckstar blinked at the black-and-white wolf and nodded.

"I'll start as soon as your patrol leaves, Buckstar." Larksong padded deeper inside the Pack Den, his form quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Buckstar lashed his tail, suddenly hesitant. _Am I making the right choice?_ He asked himself. After two days from now, _I may never see these wolves again_. He then caught a glimpse of Lilyfrost's silver fur as she padded up to him, her lithe frame unusually frail and tired-looking.

Buckstar quickly stopped her before she can walk past him to go outside. "Lilyfrost, I want you to come with me to the Dark Den."

She looked surprised at first, but then she sighed heavily. "When are we going?" She asked him, her voice leaking with tiredness.

Buckstar quickly studied her and turned his head away. "As soon as Sagetail wakes up." He pointed to the still sleeping he-wolf.

Lilyfrost frowned. "You're taking _him _too?"

Buckstar's hunter green eyes leveled with hers. "Why not?"

The she-wolf gave no response, but just sighed and brushed past him to exit out of the den.

The Alpha decided to ignore her and he let out a swift bark, awakening Sagetail. The wolf's head shot up and he blinked sleepily at Buckstar.

"It's time to go, Sagetail," Buckstar growled, "we must hurry for the dawn is still new."

Sagetail curled his lip, showing his white, sharp-pointed teeth. "I never asked for this!"

"I am your Alpha and I say you must go with us!" Buckstar snapped at him, his teeth bared menacingly. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes, I do." Sagetail slowly got up, stretching his limbs. "It depends who's coming with us."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes. _Sagetail's going to make this difficult, _he thought,_ I just know it._ "You'll see when we leave," he said.

Sagetail's sage-colored eyes blinked at him and he shrugged. "Whatever you say, Buckstar." He then left the den.

Buckstar's claws dug into the ground in his anger. "He has to learn to respect me," he growled, "_and_ Lilyfrost. I'm going to teach him a lesson he will never forget."

Without another word, he slithered out of the den. No one was awake at this time, for it was daybreak and the wolves at this time of year are usually up after dawn. He chose this time of day to carry out his plan because he knew the High Wolves in the Dark Den also followed this routine, as he was told by Shade.

_What a fool he was to say all those things to me_, Buckstar thought when he padded towards the entrance, _now I know all his little secrets. _Sagetail and Lilyfrost were waiting for him.

Buckstar narrowed his eyes at the thought of the two wolves together and what Sagetail might have done to Lilyfrost a few days earlier. He had to find out today, or he won't live with the mere thought of it his whole life.

"It's a shame Hawkflight isn't here to come with us," Sagetail murmured, glancing at Lilyfrost.

Buckstar's fur rose at the mention of the traitorous warrior's name. "He's no longer part of this pack, remember?"

Sagetail blinked at him. "I know. Do you still have hope he will come back?"

The Alpha narrowed his eyes at the light brown he-wolf's words. "Just shut up, Sagetail. You don't know _anything _about me."

Sagetail bared his teeth, causing Lilyfrost to shift uncomfortably. "I know more than you know, _Buckstar_."

"Can we just go? Please?" The she-wolf whined.

Buckstar glared at her, his heart sinking at the sight of her frailty_. I can't believe she used to be my friend, _he thought sadly, _she has changed to much….ever since _Sagetail_ came._ He then glanced at Sagetail, who was smiling at him. A smile that sent shivers to Buckstar's spine.

"Yes, Lilyfrost." Buckstar tried not to look at her as he led them out of the camp, the forest swallowing them whole. The dawn light was not of much help as he traveled through the thick vegetation. He had to guide them using his scent of smell. When they arrived at the SkyTree, the light has increased and they were able to travel by sight.

As Buckstar was about to cross the tree-bridge across the river, he heard Sagetail give a bark behind him.

"I'm going to make some dirt," he said, "wait here."

Buckstar watched him go, wishing he could leave him there and go, but he had Lilyfrost to worry about. He turned to her, his gaze softening.

She sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws. She noticed Buckstar staring at her and she shifted nervously. "What do you want?" She asked him, her voice tight.

Buckstar thought carefully about his answer. "I want to be friends with you again. I want to be your guardian angel-"

"That again?" Lilyfrost sighed and whispered, "quieter, Buckstar! He'll hear you!"

Buckstar looked around. In a softer voice he said, "there's no-one here, Lilyfrost."

Her lilac-colored eyes burned though him as she glared at him. "He could be anywhere, trust me, I know."

Buckstar dared to pad closer to her. "What did he do to you?" He asked, his green eyes locking with hers.

She suddenly looked frightened. "I t-told you before! Nothing!"

The Alpha let a small growl escape from his throat. "I don't believe you. Why can't you tell me the truth?"

"Because the truth is-" She started to blurt, but suddenly something caught her from finishing.

"What?" The he-wolf padded closer to her until he was muzzle-to-muzzle to her face. "Lilyfrost," he whispered, licking her snout, "tell me."

She bit her lip and looked into his eyes, but she turned away from him. "You won't understand…"

"Try me."

She looked at him once again, her eyes full of tears. "He raped me."

Buckstar was still with his disbelief. His dreaded suspicions were confirmed. He then felt hot fury rise in his gut and he said shakily, "how many time did he rape you?"

"Two times," she choked, "two…times…" She then broke into sobs into his chest fur.

Buckstar rubbed his neck with hers comfortingly. "Shh, I'm here. Don't worry."

"He's here," She growled suddenly looking over his broad shoulder, her voice shaky, "he heard us! Run, Buckstar, run!"

Before Buckstar could act, he felt a weight crash onto him from behind and he felt claws dig into his sides. Sagetail was on top of him, his sage-colored eyes burning with pure hatred.

"Don't touch my she-wolf!"

Buckstar felt his hot breath on his neck and he kicked out with his hind legs, meeting the wolf's soft underbelly. But Sagetail wouldn't budge. He raked his claws down the Alpha's side and Buckstar let out a cry of agony.

"No!" Lilyfrost cried, trying to shove the much larger he-wolf off the Alpha. "Sagetail, leave him alone!"

"Go away!" Sagetail pushed her into the ground with a massive paw. "You good for nothing she-wolf!"

Buckstar could hear Lilyfrost's sobs and his hatred for him was renewed to the breaking point. "You deserve to die, Sagetail! You raped her!" He barked at him through gritted teeth.

"She wanted it!" Sagetail defended himself. He dug his claws deeper into his side, sending blood pouring to the ground. Buckstar could not take it anymore. He kicked Sagetail's underbelly once again with his hind legs and the wolf came tumbling off him.

"I didn't!" Lilyfrost growled, lunging herself at Sagetail. Before she could make contact, the light brown he-wolf jumped away, making her crash onto the forest floor.

Buckstar saw Sagetail's muscles tense to leap at her while she was still dazed on the ground and the adrenaline pounded in his head, blocking out everything but the he-wolf. He charged, the fury in his being almost overpowering him. It was almost as if another wolf was controlling him.

"Buckstar…?" Sagetail's voice was cut off as the Alpha barreled into him, claws piercing his skin as they both tumbled backwards into the leafy ground. Had he imagined the red streak in Buckstar's eyes? He did not have time to dwell on that, for the Alpha dug his claws into his chest. He gave a roar of pain and writhed around under Buckstar's massive paws.

"You will never touch her again for as long as I live here in this world," Buckstar growled into his ear.

"But I love her!" Sagetail pleaded, his sage-colored eyes flashing. "She wanted to mate with me! She said she loved me too!"

"Liar!" Buckstar's bloody flanks heaved as he slashed Sagetail's muzzle, causing the wolf to give a whimper of pain.

"I never loved you!" Lilyfrost limped towards them, her lilac-colored eyes cold as ice. "And I will _never _love you!"

Sagetail bared his teeth. "You bi-"

Suddenly, Buckstar flashed his teeth and dug them into the warrior's throat. Sagetail let out a gargled gasp and the Alpha suddenly felt the light brown he-wolf's sharp claws dig into his lower underbelly. With a yelp, he released him, blood dripping down his fangs.

Sagetail coughed, his damaged throat spurting out blood.

"Don't _kill _him, Buckstar!" Lilyfrost gasped.

Sagetail looked smugly at Buckstar, much to his surprise. "Yeah, don't kill me…brother."


	41. Chapter 40: His Last Breath

**Wow, another milestone for this story! Chapter 40! THanks everyone for sticking with me through all these chapters and putting up with all my cliffhangers XD**

**Let's hope the last ten chapters are as great as the rest! With every chapter, this fic creeps up higher and higher on the word count. Hopefully this can be the sixth fic to have over 100,000 words! :D**

**-Evanessence**

* * *

Chapter 40- His Last Breath

"_Brother?_" Buckstar gasped, his bloody jaw agape in his disbelief. "You're my…_brother_?"

"I thought it was obvious to you." Sagetail's eye twitched and he groaned as more blood spurted out of his wound.

"You're not my brother!" Buckstar growled, digging his claws into the warrior's light brown chest. The chest was now crimson with the Sagetail's ever-flowing blood.

"Believe me, you are!" Sagetail managed to say in his pain. He heard Lilyfrost gasp in her surprise as she listened to the two bloody he-wolves.

Buckstar looked into the bloody, scratched face of his 'brother'. He then realized how the two of them really looked alike. The same body build, the same muzzle…it was as if he was staring into a reflection of himself. A _bloody_ reflection of himself.

"Who's your father?" Buckstar decided to ask the warrior.

"G-Griffinstar, of course." Sagetail let out a sigh as Buckstar relaxed his grip on his chest.

The Alpha was speechless. "H-how come you never told me?"

"I thought you were smart enough to figure it out, _Alpha,_" Sagetail growled, "but I guess I was wrong."

"How did you find out I was your brother?"

"I, fortunately, was smart enough to piece it all together. Stormpaw, your 'brother', is not your brother at all, isn't he?"

Buckstar felt his heart sink at the mention of the young wolf. "N-no. He isn't."

Sagetail smirked. "I knew it. Our parents must have taken him in, uh-" he suddenly coughed weakly, "they must have taken him in after they abandoned me."

Buckstar was confused. "They abandoned you?"

Sagetail gave him a weak nod. "When your pack separated, I went off on my own. I didn't want to follow Mom and Dad's footsteps. I wanted to start my own pack for once...but I ended up joining one instead."

"My family never told me about you," Buckstar said.

"They must have forgotten about me…or they just didn't want me anymore." He shrugged. "Who knows?"

"They didn't want you? Why?" Lilyfrost suddenly asked.

Sagetail smirked. "I had a…troubled puphood. I was always getting into all sorts of mayhem. You must remember, Buckstar. I pushed you into the river that day."

Suddenly it all came back to Buckstar. He remembered the feeling of paws against his small back and the cold mist of the river as he fell down, down into the water. Sagetail was the one who pushed him. His own _brother_.

"You deserve to die," Buckstar snarled, "you-"

"Is that anyway you treat family?" Sagetail growled angrily.

"No, that's the way I treat _traitors_." Without a moment to spare, he sank his teeth into the he-wolf's throat. He felt the hot rush of blood in his mouth and he bit down harder, feeling Sagetail's weak pulse beat on the roof of his mouth.

Sagetail let out a gargled snarl and his sage-colored eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body suddenly going limp. His eyelids closed as he slowly lost his vitality, never to open them again.

Buckstar released him, spitting out the blood from his mouth. He felt Lilyfrost's pelt press comfortingly against his bloody flank as he watched his brother die before their eyes.

With one last twitch, Sagetail was dead.

"You killed him, Buckstar," Lilyfrost whispered in his ear, "you killed him."

Buckstar was trembling uncontrollably, his heart feeling like lead. He stared at the body of his former brother, but he could not gather up the tears to cry. _Sagetail was almost a murderer, for he almost killed me when I was just a pup. He also betrayed my trust. He mated with Lilyfrost without her consent and possibly even making her-_

The Alpha suddenly looked at the she-wolf with alarm in his eyes.

"What is it?" Lilyfrost asked, her voice full with anxiety. "What's wrong?"

Buckstar gulped and thought better of it. "N-nothing, Lilyfrost."

Lilyfrost frowned and looked at Sagetail's cold, lifeless body. "Where are we going to put his body, Buckstar?"

The light brown he-wolf padded up to the body and nosed its bloody fur. "Help me carry him to the river, Lilyfrost. It's where he belongs."

Lilyfrost nodded and grabbed Sagetail's bloodstained scruff, sinking her teeth into it as if he were still alive.

Buckstar nosed his way under the body and heaved upwards, carrying the lifeless body on his back. Lilyfrost padded alongside him as he drew closer to the river. Once on its pebbly banks, Buckstar allowed Lilyfrost to drag the body off him and into the ground.

"This reminds me of when I used to carry Stormpaw on my back," Buckstar growled, staring at Sagetail's bloody and mangled face, "though this time it was with a brother I never thought I had."

Lilyfrost managed to chuckle. "Ironic, isn't it?"

Buckstar nodded grimly and shoved Sagetail's heavy body out into the river, the water sloshing into his bloody fur. For once, he welcomed its cool touch as Sagetail's body floated away. He felt Lilyfrost put her head on his back and he bowed his head, suddenly overwhelmed with grief.

"I would have never thought I would kill a wolf," Buckstar choked, "and especially my own brother. StarPack, what have I done?"

"He wasn't your true brother, Buckstar," Lilyfrost growled quickly, "he was never there when you needed him. He tried to_ kill_ you."

"That's right." In Buckstar's mind, an image of Stormpaw started to form and he smiled. "Stormpaw is my true brother, even though not my real one."

Lilyfrost licked him. "I'm sorry I've been so cold to you, Buckstar, it's just…with Sagetail and all-"

Buckstar could feel her tears soaking into his fur and he turned around to face her tearstained face. "Lilyfrost, I'm your guardian angel. I will never abandon you."

Lilyfrost smiled, her lilac eyes shining. "I wish I had never turned my back on you."

"I'm here now, Lilyfrost. Nobody will ever treat you like that again. I swear it upon my five lives."

The silver-colored she-wolf licked him. "What are we going to do now?" She asked him.

Buckstar looked down. "First, let's get out of the water."

Lilyfrost nodded, chuckling. "Right!" Without another word, she ran out of the water, her tail wagging high in the air. She shook her pelt, sending water droplets around the pebbly ground.

Buckstar slowly followed, the pain from his wounds pounding agonizingly. He could see his blood running into the water out of the corner of his eye. Once he got onto the bank, he collapsed to the ground in sheer exhaustion.

Lilyfrost ran to him, her expression very concerned. "Buckstar!" She cried.

"I'm okay," Buckstar grunted, shakily getting up, "I'm just a bit woozy, that's all."

"Can you make it back to camp?" The she-wolf asked.

Buckstar gritted his teeth. "No, I came here for a reason and that is to go to the DarkDen to ask for the Unworthy Wolves' help."

Lilyfrost then argued, "but you're too weak, Buckstar! Look at how much blood you're losing! You have to get back to Fernleaf!"

Buckstar shook his head. "I'm going to the DarkDen."

Lilyfrost furrowed her brows in frustration. "I'll go," she offered, "I'll go for you."

Alarm suddenly shot through Buckstar at that thought. "No! You were captured once, and they can capture you again!"

"I know my way around there," Lilyfrost said to him, a slight tease in her voice, "you're not the only one who's been in there, you know."

Buckstar shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no. I can't let you do that."

Lilyfrost licked his bloody face, a certain look coming to her eyes. "Buckstar, trust me. I can do this."

Buckstar gritted his teeth. _Should I let her go?_ He thought. He then sighed in exasperation. "Alright, Lilyfrost."

Lilyfrost licked his cheek once again. "Don't worry, Buckstar," she said excitedly, "I won't let you down!"

"I just want you to come back in one piece," Buckstar growled, his voice laced with worry, "this is serious. They can and _will _kill you if they get a hold of you."

"They won't." She smiled and flicked her tail against his shoulder. "I just want _you_ to get to the camp in one piece, okay?"

The Alpha nodded and butted her shoulder affectionately. "You can be sure of that," he whispered to her, "and just know I'm glad we're friends again."

"Maybe we can be more than that," Lilyfrost added lightly.

"What-"

Before Buckstar could finfish his question, Lilyfrost was out of sight, her tail disappearing into the direction of the DarkDen.

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Dawntail padded through the forest, the morning scents filling her nostrils. Blackfrost was following her, his inviting growls echoing loudly in her ear.

"I've waited long enough, Dawntail," he was growling, "now that Buckstar is gone we can mate in peace."

"You monster." Dawntail shook her head as they came to the LoneRock, their usual meeting place.

Blackfrost wove around her, licking her bulging flank. "We made a deal, remember?"

Dawntail sighed and nodded. "I remember, Blackfrost."

"Then what's with the hesitation? I thought you _wanted_ to mate with me."

"I'm pregnant, Blackfrost." Dawntail sat down on the grass, her tail flicking lazily.

"So? That hasn't stopped us before."

"But it's _Buckstar's_ pups. I feel like I'm betraying them by mating with you."

"Are you sure they aren't mine?" Blackfrost asked, sitting down next to her.

Dawntail shook her head, her light ginger fur ruffling with the light morning breeze. "I'm sure, Blackfrost. Besides, I found out I had this curse before I even met you."

"I guess Buckstar would never suspect this." Blackfrost yawned, his ice blue eyes fluttering with his sleep.

"He thinks I'm in the Nursery being a good little she-wolf."

Blackfrost smiled crookedly. "But you're a _bad_ she-wolf." He then placed a paw on her back and forced her down until she was on her belly, her bulging frame sticking out from both sides. "C'mon, I'm tired of waiting." He was about to mount her before she shoved him away.

"No, Blackfrost. I'm not doing this until you tell me how you suppose you're going to get rid of that witch," she snarled, her teeth bared menacingly.

"Lilyfrost?" The black he-wolf narrowed his eyes. "I'm working on it. Don't worry, Sagetail's on her tail."

"How do you know he won't betray us? He went with Buckstar and her before we left, remember?"

"He will stay on our side, don't worry. Unless-"

Dawntail's dark blue eyes narrowed. "'Unless' what?"

Blackfrost stared into her eyes, suddenly feeling very unnerved. "Nevermind, Dawntail. Buckstar will never know what happened to her."

"I thought you told me Sagetail loved the witch."

"He does, but-"

"What's with all these doubts, Blackfrost?" Dawntail got up, her pelt bristling in her anger. "I'm not doing_ anything_ with you unless you give me proof she's going to die."

Blackfrost's neck fur rose. "Can you not trust me, Dawntail?"

"I'm not sure I can trust either of you he-wolves. Sagetail seems weak, Blackfrost. Didn't you know he had raped Lilyfrost?"

Blackfrost blinked in his surprise. "N-no, I didn't. I told him to wait!"

"I want her to _die_, not be some mate to Sagetail!" Dawntail growled, her eyes blazing wildly. She started to pace. "I want her to feel the agonizing pain of my fury. I want her to taste the blood when she's dying on the ground. I want her to leave Buckstar's life forever!"

Blackfrost glared at the she-wolf, his lip curling in disgust. "Now I know why Hawkflight never wanted to work with you. You're-"

"Don't say it," Dawntail snarled, shushing him with a flick of her tail, "you're not being so faithful to Silentheart, Blackfrost."

"That she-wolf is nothing but dirt to me!" He spat.

"She had your pups, Blackfrost," the light ginger she-wolf added firmly.

"That was never supposed to happen." Blackfrost turned away from her. "It was she who fell in love with me. I just used her for my…own purposes."

Dawntail smiled. "I see we're more alike than I thought."

"Don't you love Buckstar?" Blackfrost abruptly asked her.

She narrowed her eyes and suddenly slashed him, blood welling up from his wound. "Don't you dare ask me that question again! Of course I love him! Then why am I doing this for him, huh?"

"You're doing this for yourself, Dawntail."

"Are you going against me, Blackfrost?" Dawntail's claws dug into the ground, ready to sink them into Blackfrost's black pelt.

The he-wolf's bloody cheek stung as he replied, "n-no, Dawntail. I was…"

"I'm going back to the camp." Dawntail moved away from him, her eyes narrowing. "I can't believe I wasted my time coming here with you."

Blackfrost gulped and stuttered, "Dawntail, you know I'm going to get rid of Lilyfrost. You know I am."

"I might have to get rid of her _myself_," she growled. She then examined him, a scowl forming on her face, "You're scared of me, Blackfrost. I can scent your fear. Prove yourself to me and I'll reconsider."

Blackfrost did not have time to reply for Dawntail quickly slipped away into the forest. He silently cursed himself and left the clearing, his black pelt melting in with the shadows.


	42. Chapter 41: The Mission

**This chapter would probably be the record breaking chapter that makes this the sixth fic to have 100,000 words! (Or not!) This chapter is mostly a 'filler' chapter with not a lot of action in it. Also, I made a part of this chapter in the point of view of Shade, (the BloodPack first-in-command) which is a new and interesting perspective. As I mention in every chapter, thanks or reviewing everyone! Before I bore you even further with my bolded words, let's get on with the chapter!**

**-Evanessence**

* * *

Chapter 41- The Mission

Lilyfrost made her way through the forest, recalling the landmarks she saw that day when the BloodPack wolves took her hostage. As she traveled, she noticed the reek of blood that hung in the air.

_I must be going the right way,_ she thought, thoroughly disgusted. She picked her way through the eerie shadows of the trees around her. Somehow, this part of forest was darker than the rest and Lilyfrost shivered at the probability that the Darkness itself had anything to do with it.

Soon she came upon the large clearing on which the large shadow of the DarkDen loomed over her. She let out a gulp and she tightened her muscles, ready to bolt if she had to.

_I came here for a reason, _she thought, _not to run away._ _I will _not _let Buckstar down._ She looked around and took a tentative step forward; feeling the cool touch of the short, unnaturally even cut grass on her paws. She felt her heart give a nervous shudder as she left the security of the forest, but she furrowed her brows in determination. She _had_ to do this.

She did not see any guards outside of the large door that made up the entrance of the DarkDen, so she quickly got on her haunches and crept forward, careful to stay in the large shadow the DarkDen created with the dawning sun.

Once she was next to the den's wooden walls, she pressed her silver flank against the wall; very aware of the large hole the BloodPack wolves call a 'window' above her. She crept along the wall, her paws silent against the cool touch of the grass.

The door was just a tail-length away when she bolted inside, her pelt just a silver streak. The musty order hit her nostrils and she crinkled it in disgust. She knew the Unworthy Wolves lived in the first floor of the DarkDen, therefore making it _easier _to reach them.

The whole floor was quiet, as if all of the wolves were sleeping. She held her breath as she silently padded across the maroon-colored carpet, using her sense of smell to guide her way through the halls to the 'Unworthy Den'. She felt her pelt brush through the narrow walls as she located the white, decrepit door that signified the entrance to the den. She thought she heard voices from upstairs and she panicked.

As quickly as she could, she nosed open the door. Carefully she squeezed through the narrow entrance she made and she crept inside the room, her body close to the floor. She looked around the dim-lit area and made out the huddled shape of five or so wolves on the center of the room.

They were all asleep, as far as Lilyfrost could tell. They all looked emaciated and she felt a pan of pity for them. She then saw a little patch of ginger near a small, light brown she-wolf. Lilyfrost noticed the small puppy's eyes were closed and blind, telling her that it was still too young to know that she was there. Suddenly, it let out a little squeak and Lilyfrost froze.

The light brown she-wolf next to the pup stirred, mumbling something. Lilyfrost slowly backed away; afraid the wolf will wake up and notice her. The puppy squeaked again, much to the silver she-wolf's disdain.

The light brown she-wolf raised her head and yawned, showing her white fangs. She blinked and looked down at the puppy, not noticing Lilyfrost's presence in the room.

"Shh, Ginger, you'll wake everyone up," the she-wolf softly told the puppy. The puppy, Lilyfrost concluded it was female, gave a pitiful whine.

"I know you're hungry, but-" Suddenly, the light brown she-wolf's voice cut off as she noticed Lilyfrost looking at her. Her green eyes flashed and she abruptly got up, her pelt bristling. "Get away from us!" She growled shakily, her claws digging into the carpet under her.

"I don't mean any harm!" Lilyfrost pleaded, "I came here because-"

"Shade sent you here, didn't he?" The she-wolf asked, her voice growing tremulous. "To get the wolf for the…for the…"

Lilyfrost dared to step forward when she heard the she-wolf's voice break. "No!_ Buckstar_ sent me here."

Suddenly, the wolf's eyes brightened. "The Alpha?"

The silver she-wolf nodded and the puppy let out a soft yelp. She looked at the small ginger scrap under the Unworthy Wolf's paws and asked, "Is she yours?"

The light brown she-wolf shook her head. "No, but I'm taking care of her to…avoid…" her voice broke again.

Lilyfrost bowed her head. She knew what would happen to these wolves if they did not get out soon. "What's her name?"

"Ginger." The she-wolf licked the puppy between her ears, but she did not respond. She had fallen asleep out of pure exhaustion. The she-wolf raised her head to meet Lilyfrost's lilac-colored eyes again. "And I'm Leaf."

"Lilyfrost," the pack wolf introduced herself. Suddenly, a wolf beside Leaf stirred. It was a large, dark ginger he-wolf. He raised his head and yawned, amber eyes blinking rapidly to get rid of his sleep.

Lilyfrost could not help but gasp at the sight of the feather nestled in the crook behind his ear. It was one feather she thought she would never see again. The he-wolf locked eyes with hers and his amber eyes flared with surprise.

"Lilyfrost?"

"_Hawkflight_?"

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"That Alpha is starting to get on my nerves, Shade." Tiger was stretched on the carpeted floor, licking his bloody paws.

Shade sighed and pushed away the half-eaten fox. "The full moon is tomorrow. He better has thought about my deal." The silver wolf stared up at the enormous picture of the Dark One that hung precariously on the wooden wall.

Tiger yawned and shook his dark brown head. "I don't know about you, but I think he's planning something."

"That's ridiculous," Shade snorted, "Buckstar _cannot_ outsmart me."

"Really?" Tiger's deep voice sounded incredulous.

Shade felt like clawing him just for being alive. "You think I'm stupid?" He growled, his claws digging into the maroon-colored carpet.

Tiger stared at the large scar on Shade's left eye and he thought about what he was going to say next. "N-no, Supreme One. You are the smartest wolf in the forest."

Shade smirked and he growled, "Flattery doesn't work on me, you know that."

"I do."

"Then just be quiet." Shade stared up at the picture again, sighing heavily. "I wish I were a Dark One. I would have all the power I wanted."

Tiger stared up warily at the large portrait. He gulped and said, "Yes, sir. Uh, me too."

Shade stared at him, his ice blue eyes cold and distant. "I told you to be quiet."

"Yes, sir."

Shade rolled his eyes and got up, shaking his silver-colored pelt. "Why don't you go see my daughter, Tiger?"

The second-in-command looked at him as though he told him to go to the moon. "W-why?"

"She is soon ready to have pups, Tiger." Shade narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure you want a daughter of mine to have your pups, right?"

Tiger sighed and nodded. "But…why _Violet_?"

"She is my youngest daughter. She deserves the second-in-command as her mate…and, not to mention, she's very pretty."

Tiger wanted to say, "and annoying", but he figured that would earn him a good, hard cuff from the first-in-command. "I…will see to that?" He said instead, not very sure of what he just admitted to.

Shade smiled. "Good. Now I will see my own mate and our newborn pups. No Unworthy Wolves this time, thank the Darkness."

Tiger nodded and got up. "Yes, thank the Darkness."

Shade nosed open the door to his den and slipped out to the hall, with Tiger following closely. As he approached the stairs, he thought he saw a flash of silver near the entrance. He narrowed his ice blue eyes to get a better look, but he saw nothing.

"Why did you stop?" Tiger growled from behind him.

Shade shook his head and said, "I just thought I saw something. It's nothing."

The dark brown he-wolf let out a chuckle. "Are you getting too old, Shade?"

Shade snarled angrily and leaped down the stairs, not bothering to answer Tiger's question. He made his way through the halls until he came to The Cub Den, or the Nursery for the BloodPack wolves. He nosed open the door and the scent of milk his nostrils.

He smiled as he saw his mate, a light ginger she-wolf called Amber, curled around three little puppies. He approached her and licked her between her ears.

Amber let out an appreciative whine and licked him back. "They're a handful," she sighed, looking at her sleeping pups.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shade saw Tiger walk towards Violet, who had been watching them with curious eyes from the other corner of the rather large room. He murmured something to her and the black she-wolf's eyes brightened and she stood up, licking him on his muzzle. She then bounded out of the room, her tail wagging behind her. Tiger grimaced and followed her.

Shade smiled and focused back on his mate, who was glaring at him, much to his surprise.

"What did you do?" She growled at him.

The he-wolf shrugged. "What? I just…made a little arrangement, that's all."

Amber rolled her ice blue eyes and licked him. "You know Violet likes him."

"She likes _any_ he-wolf," Shade quickly added.

His mate smirked. "You_ made_ Tiger go with her, Shade."

Shade sighed and sat down next to her. "No I didn't."

"I know you too well." Amber flicked her tail and nudged his silver flank. "I know you will do anything for Violet or _any _of your daughters, for that matter."

Shade shrugged. "What can I do? I'm their father." He then gazed proudly at the litter of multi-colored puppies nestled near his mate's underbelly. "Now I have my first son." He licked the top of a dark russet-red male puppy. The pup let out a squeak and resumed feeding from his mother.

Amber smiled at him and pointed to the other two puppies with her tail. "And two more daughters, Shade," she pointed out lightly.

"Of course." Shade seemed to be focused on his small son more than the rest and Amber understood that. He laid down next to his mate and he licked his son again.

"What are you going to name them?" The she-wolf asked the first-in-command.

Shade furrowed his brows in thought. "My son is going to be named Fox. He has the pelt of one of the most cunning animals."

"And our daughters?"

Shade looked at the smaller black she-wolf next to Fox, and instantly he was reminded of Violet when she was just a puppy. "Her name is going to be Night." The small she-wolf had the jet-black pelt of his father, Darkness, and so does Violet. Shade was proud of that fact.

"And this one I will name myself." Amber pointed to the small she-wolf puppy on the other side of Fox. She was a soft russet-red puppy with white paws. She looked more like her mother than the other puppies. Amber swelled with pride at that thought. None of her puppies in her previous litters had looked so much like her.

Shade blinked in surprise and nodded. "Yes. What is it, then?"

"Maple." Amber licked the top of her daughter's head, causing the small wolf to give a whine. "She's the color of the maple leaves in autumn."

Shade smiled and nodded. "Maple it is."

Amber let out a sigh and rested her head on Shade's flank. "Stay with me, will you?" She asked him.

Shade shook his head and stood up, much to her disappointment. "I have to get ready for tomorrow. You know what's happening."

"I do," she sighed, "but…"

"Then I will see you later." Shade dipped his head to her and left the room, his tail disappearing through the gap.

Amber stared after him, narrowing her eyes. _He's_ _so ambitious and most of the time I don't even see him…_she thought, _I still don't know who I fell in love with…_


	43. Chapter 42: Waiting

**With this chapter this fic will be over 100,000 words! XD **

**Thanks everyone for waiting for this chapter to be up. I know it was an agonizingly long wait and it will probably be so for the last eight or so chapters. **

**I appropriately named this chapter 'Waiting' for all of you XD**

**Enjoy this one, guys!**

**-Evanessence**

* * *

Chapter 42- Waiting

Buckstar limped into the camp, already feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood. He hated himself for letting Lilyfrost go off alone, but then again, she was as stubborn as_ he_ was. As his big paws padded against the hard earth of the camp floor, he spotted the black pelt of his apprentice as she padded out of the Pack Den.

Her green eyes were downcast, as if she was worried about something. She had not yet noticed the Alpha staring at her from across the camp.

"Hollypaw!" He called her, limping towards the apprentice.

She looked startled, but that quickly faded away to fear. "What happened to you?" she asked as she saw his numerous wounds.

"I can't talk about that now," Buckstar quickly said, "I just need to rest for a bit."

"Where's Sagetail and Lilyfrost?" Hollypaw seemed insistent to know what was going on, but the Alpha continued to avoid the subject.

"Hollypaw, tell Fernleaf I am in the Pack Den." Without another word, Buckstar limped away from her and slipped into the Pack Den. His aching muscles groaned with the effort of sitting down on the soft moss of the den.

He was near the entrance, ready to spring outside if he had to. There were no other wolves in the den and he guessed they were out hunting or patrolling the borders. The light brown wolf was anxious to help Lilyfrost at the DarkDen, but he knew he would not be of much use if his condition were as bad as this.

After a few moments of silence, he saw the lichen part apart and a dark gray muzzle appeared. Fernleaf stepped inside the den, paws full of cobwebs. Hollypaw was following closely after her, her expression full of worry.

The Healer started to cover his wounds without uttering a word, somehow feeling the tension that hung in the air. Hollypaw watched her with an intense green gaze, and then shifted it to Buckstar.

"I have to talk to you," she suddenly said, her voice small.

Buckstar turned to her in surprise. "What?"

"Privately." Hollypaw glanced at Fernleaf and the Healer looked back at her.

Instead of giving a retort, Fernleaf just calmly nodded. She turned to Buckstar and said, "The infected wound is still bad, but not as bad as before. I suggest you get rest before you go." She accentuated the word 'go' lightly, as if she knew what was going on.

When she left the den, Hollypaw shifted closer to the Alpha.

He noticed how much she grew since she came to RainPack. Her black head reached his bandaged shoulder as she sat next to him. _I ought to start thinking about her warrior ceremony- _he started to think but the apprentice's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I saw-" Suddenly her voice broke, her body starting to shake.

Buckstar was alarmed and he softly pressed his pelt against hers, feeling the dull ache of the scratches Sagetail gave him there. "What did you see?" He pressed, his voice comforting, yet insistent.

"I saw Blackfrost and Dawntail go out of the camp together." She stared into his hunter green eyes as he froze, his neck fur starting to bristle. "I don't know what they're going to do, but-"

"I know very well what they're going to do." His voice grew hoarse with his fury. Hollypaw had to back away, her tail tucked between her hind legs in fear.

"Are you going to follow them?" she asked him, her black fur bristling just like the Alpha's was.

Buckstar's nostrils flared and his steely eyes were blazing wildly as he growled, "No, it's too late for that. Let them come to _me_."

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Blackfrost padded through the forest, his cheek still stinging from Dawntail's claw swipe. _Why would I need her? _He thought angrily. _I can take care of myself_. His thoughts led him through the expanse of the forest until he came to the riverbank. He looked across the raging water, sighing softly.

_But then again,_ he thought, _she's beautiful…_

Suddenly, he spotted something moving across the water. He squinted his ice blue eyes to get a better look at it and he gasped at what he saw. It was a wolf! He hurried closer to the water's edge, opening his jaws to grab the wolf's scruff. It was still too far away for him to grab a hold of it.

Before it floated away, he saw the flash of light brown fur. _Buckstar?_ He thought at once. _He's dead?_ To his disappointment, he realized it was not Buckstar. It was _Sagetail_.

He clawed at the pebbly ground in frustration. _That idiot! _He growled to himself. _I thought I could trust him! Did he kill himself, or-_

The faint red tint in the water as the body floated past told him Sagetail did not die of drowning._ Someone_ killed him. As Blackfrost stared at Sagetail's body, he got a sickly feeling whoever did this had to have enough strength to kill him, and then drag the heavy body into the river. He only knew one wolf that can do all of that. Buckstar.

_He's such a good wolf, _Blackfrost argued with himself, _he wouldn't do such a thing! _However, there it was, Sagetail's lifeless body already disappearing into the horizon, never to be seen again.

"Buckstar is a…murderer?" he asked himself aloud. He shook his head to clear away that thought. "He must have discovered Sagetail's nights with Lilyfrost," he growled in frustration.

_Now he's dead,_ he thought, _that means Buckstar will be more watchful of Lilyfrost's whereabouts. _The black wolf then started to panic. _That means out plans will be ruined! Dawntail will be so angry with me!_

He turned away from the water and hurriedly left the riverbank. He pelted into the forest, his mind made up for him. _I must find Lilyfrost!_ He growled in his mind. _It's time for her to share her lover's fate!_

He ran through the forest blindly, hoping for a chance encounter with the silver wolf. At last, he came to the DreamPool, where he caught the glimmer of the crystal pool out of the corner of his eye. He chose to ignore the feeling of being watched and he padded up to the massive oak tree. He sat down next to it and wrapped his tail around his paws.

_I will wait for her here,_ he thought. He then looked at the pool, where he saw his faint reflection. _If StarPack exists,_ he thought, _they would lead her here to my waiting paws._

He could have sworn he saw a set of eyes looking through the pool and he shook his head, telling himself it was nothing. As if on cue, he heard the faint rumbling of paws and he smiled, claws digging into the ground.

"StarPack is on our side now," he growled, looking once again at the pool, "and Lilyfrost is _mine_."

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Lilyfrost stood at the entrance of the room, transfixed. _Hawkflight? Here_? She thought, the questions racing through her mind. Hawkflight stared back at her with an equally surprised expression.

"W-what are you doing here?" He asked her, his deep voice shaking.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Lilyfrost shot back, her fur starting to bristle.

Leaf, who had been watching the encounter, stared at Lilyfrost. She noticed the wolf's paws were bloodstained, as if she had just been hunting something.

Hawkflight stood up, his fur standing on end. "I know you're angry with me, but-"

"Angry?" Lilyfrost retorted, her lilac-colored eyes blazing with fury. "Angry is not the word! It's _furious_! You have betrayed us, Hawkflight!"

"It was a mistake I will never make again!" The dark ginger he-wolf's voice was low and even submissive.

The silver she-wolf shook her head. "You will never have the _chance _to make a mistake again!"

"Buckstar will understand-"

"No he will _not_!" Lilyfrost's voice was shaking with her fury. "He told us to _kill _you if we found you in our territory."

Hawkflight gulped and sat down, looking down at his paws. He never knew he was so_ hated_ for his actions. He dared to look up at Lilyfrost, and she turned away from him and to Leaf.

"What's going on here?" A new voice echoed through the room. A light gray wolf beside Leaf had awakened, shaking the sleep out of her blue eyes.

"River!" Leaf nosed her sister to her feet. She then pointed to Lilyfrost with her tail, and the she-wolf narrowed her eyes.

"Who are you?" River asked the RainPack wolf, her expression growing defensive.

Before Lilyfrost had the time to answer, Leaf interrupted, "her name is Lilyfrost. She comes from Buckstar's pack."

River blinked in surprise and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Lilyfrost. My name is River."

Lilyfrost smiled and dipped her head in response. She then glanced at Hawkflight, sending sharp feelings of hatred back into her veins. She turned back to River. "I'm here to give you a message from Buckstar."

"Why couldn't he tell us himself?" River asked her, her deep feminine voice clouded with worry.

Lilyfrost decided not to tell her what happened. "He was…busy."

"Busy?" Leaf suddenly asked in disgust. "Too busy to see _us_?"

"He sent_ me_, alright?" Lilyfrost was growing frustrated with these wolves. Another wolf stirred near Hawkflight. It was a dark brown male wolf. He raised his head and blinked sleepy, amber eyes.

"Canyon, she's not a threat," River said to the wolf, seeing the way he growled at the RainPack wolf.

"What is she doing here? We don't need anymore wolves!" He snarled, getting up. His motion caused him to bump into the gray she-wolf next to him. She snarled, her eyes still closed. Canyon ignored her and faced Lilyfrost.

"She's not coming to stay," Hawkflight suddenly growled, his voice flat, "she's here to deliver a message."

"Is she from your pack?" Canyon asked him, raising a brow.

Lilyfrost nodded. "Buckstar sent me here to ask for your help."

The dark brown he-wolf blinked his amber eyes, cocking his head in confusion. "What help can we be? We are nothing but-"

"Wolves." River finished for him. "We will help him in any way so we can to get out of here. Right?" She looked at Canyon, who nodded, despite himself.

Lilyfrost smiled. "He wants one of you to come back with me to the RainPack camp."

All of them froze. They looked at one another in their hesitation. Lilyfrost feared they might not help RainPack at all, but then the gray wolf next to Canyon lifted her head, her blue eyes staring right at Lilyfrost.

"I will go." She got up and shook her pelt. She was very frail, but there was a strong aura that radiated from her pelt, as

River let out a whine. "But Jay-"

The she-wolf let out a snarl. "I haven't stepped out of this place for years. I want to see the light of day again."

"No," Canyon growled, "I will go."

Lilyfrost watched as the two argued, her paws kneading against the ground in impatience.

"You're more needed here, Jay," Canyon snarled, "they will notice your absence quicker."

"True," the gray she-wolf admitted, "but what will happen if the High wolves decide to get rid of all of you? You're the strongest wolf here. Who will defend us if you're gone?"

Canyon furrowed his brows and sighed. "Alright. Go."

Jay smiled, obviously feeling proud for winning Canyon over. She then looked at Lilyfrost, her blue eyes shining. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

River quickly brushed her tail over the she-wolf's shoulder. "Be careful, Jay."

Jay returned her gesture with a nod. "I will."

Canyon mumbled something inaudible and turned to the last wolf that still had not awakened yet. The young he-wolf reminded Lilyfrost of Larksong, but she shook that thought away.

Jay pushed Lilyfrost towards the door with her gray-tinged muzzle. "We want to get out before Eagle wakes up," she told the silver she-wolf.

"Why?" Lilyfrost asked as Jay pushed open the door with her paw.

The older wolf turned to look at her with her knowing blue eyes. "He's as curious as a pup. If he meets you, you will never leave."

Lilyfrost nodded and Jay slipped through the door and out of the room. The RainPack wolf followed her, feeling Hawkflight's heavy gaze follow her right out the door.


	44. Chapter 43: Faint Trust

**Sorry for the long wait everyone, but here's the new chapter. I suggest you reread the previous chapters before reading this one just because of the long wait. Well, just enjoy this one! Oh, and if you want to talk to me about anything and meet some really cool people, come to the Miscellany Forum! I'll see you there!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 43- Faint Trust

Lilyfrost followed Jay down the stairs, every hair on her pelt tingling with anxiety.

"Are you sure they won't see us?" the silver wolf asked Jay.

The Unworthy Wolf let out a snort as she jumped down the last step of the staircase. "How many times do I have to tell you? They're all asleep!"

Lilyfrost looked around warily, not bothering to argue with the older wolf. The DarkDen was quiet, but almost too quiet. As she jumped down the final step, a sudden and eerie creak echoed from somewhere in the large entryway.

Both of the she-wolves' eyes opened wide in alarm.

"What was that?" asked Lilyfrost, her voice growing shaky.

"Let's just get out of here," Jay growled to her as she stalked towards the door, which was conveniently wide open, as if it wanted them to escape this horrible place.

Lilyfrost nodded and followed her outside, welcoming the warm sunshine she felt on her back. As she and Jay crossed through the large, yet daunting, shadow the DarkDen made against the sunlight, she felt as if a sudden weight has been lifted off her shoulders. She did it. She ventured inside the DarkDen without being caught! The fact she was proud of most was that she did it without Buckstar of any wolf's help. Somehow, she felt more self-sufficient, as if she could be her own wolf now and not let some wolf like Sagetail control her like before.

The name _Sagetail _burned through her mind like a poison. _He knew what was coming…_Lilyfrost thought bitterly, _thank StarPack Buckstar was there to- _

Suddenly a sharp thought pierced through her mind. _Buckstar,_ she panicked, _how is he-_

"Where are we going?

The sudden voice shook her out of her thoughts and Lilyfrost blinked stupidly. "Huh?"

Jay was staring at her, her blue eyes narrowing. "I _said_, where are we going? It's _your _pack's camp, after all."

Lilyfrost, feeling a sudden rush of heat, looked down at her paws, embarrassed. She was so lost in her thoughts that she forgot that Jay was still with her.

"Of course," she stammered, looking around.

Jay continued to stare at her with her penetrating gaze. "You seem distracted."

"I am," Lilyfrost admitted, "just follow me."

The Unworthy Wolf nodded, still looking skeptical. "Alright, just as long as you stay in this world with me from now on."

Lilyfrost chuckled, despite herself. "I will." She was starting to like Jay, both for her courage, boldness and downright sarcasm. She wished she were more like her and less like herself.

They were near the tree-bridge that crossed over the mighty river. Lilyfrost could already hear its thundering noises as she neared it. As the river came into view, Jay gave a heavy sigh.

"Ah, the river. How I have longed to be by it again."

"You lived here?" asked Lilyfrost abruptly.

"No, no." Jay shook her head. "I lived far away from here, but since it was so long ago I can't remember where it is." There was a twinge of sorrow in her voice.

Lilyfrost felt a pang of pity for the she-wolf. "You're always welcome in RainPack," she offered, "that way you can live by the river again."

Jay smiled at her, but shook her head. "I long to see my homeland again, where my pack used to live. I want to collect all the memories and relive them again."

Lilyfrost thought of her own past, but it was cloudy. She decided not to dwell on it before she herself can relive those memories.

"Before I can do anything, though," said Jay, "I have to help free my friends from those monsters' horrible clutches."

The silver RainPack wolf nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jay asked her, lashing her tail. "Take me to Buckstar so he can tell me what to do!"

Lilyfrost trembled with the ferocity that echoed in the she-wolf's voice. She meekly nodded, staying wary of the she-wolf's short temper. Without another word, they left the clearing.

They continued on their trek through RainPack territory until Jay suddenly stopped, almost causing Lilyfrost to crash into her. The gray she-wolf looked alarmed, her blue eyes narrowing and curling her lip to reveal yellowed teeth.

"A male wolf," she growled.

Lilyfrost perked her ears, trying to catch a sound, but the green forest surrounding them was quiet and still.

"Don't you smell him?" Jay seemed to be growing more and more impatient.

Lilyfrost did not have time to respond, for Jay let out a startling howl.

"Show yourself!" Her cry echoed through the trees, making Lilyfrost feel hopelessly alone. She shuffled her forepaws and cleared her throat.

"Jay," she said, "there's no one here." But then, a curious scent wafted through the forest breeze. Lilyfrost crinkled her nose in disgust. She knew_ exactly _who it was.

"Of course there isn't!" Jay snapped at her. "It only _seems _that way. He's hiding from us."

"Who?" The RainPack wolf was annoyed at the older wolf. "_Who_ is hiding from us?"

Jay whirled her head to the younger wolf, her eyes blazing wildly. "Do you think I would _know_?"

Lilyfrost flinched.

Jay sighed and shook her head. "I…I don't know."

The RainPack eyed the Unworthy wolf warily. She should not have provoked her with a question she knew Jay did not have the answer to. "I know who the wolf is," she said, pointing her muzzle to a spot in the undergrowth near them.

Jay looked to where she was pointing. Suddenly, a black muzzle revealed itself from the entangled mass of vegetation. A black wolf stepped out, ice blue eyes steady and unmoving.

"Blackfrost," Lilyfrost started, "what are you doing here?"

The male wolf let out a smirk. "Well, looking for you, actually."

"Me?" Lilyfrost glanced at Jay, who looked just as confused as she was.

"Who do we have here?" Blackfrost padded up to the frail gray she-wolf, his eyes lighting up curiously. Jay stepped back, the fur on her neck bristling with distrust.

Lilyfrost stepped protectively between them. "Please Blackfrost," she growled, her voice like ice. "Go away."

The wolf looked hurt. "Lilyfrost, why are you acting this way? I thought we were packmates. You know-"

"I know very well what that is!" Lilyfrost snapped. "This is none of your business, so just go away!"

Blackfrost's expression still showed one of hurt, but then his eyes flickered with some thought. "Speaking of business," he growled, looking at Jay through narrowed eyes, "I have to talk to you."

Lilyfrost blinked in surprise. "Why?"

Blackfrost ignored Jay's snarl as he turned back to Lilyfrost. "It's…private," he said.

"She can't go with you!" Jay abruptly barked. "I sense something very wrong here!"

Blackfrost suddenly snapped at her with his large jaws. "You be quiet! You don't even know who I am!"

Jay's blue eyes shadowed. "I may not know who you are, but I know _what _you are."

The black he-wolf frowned. "What's_ that _supposed to mean?"

The gray wolf was about to respond before Lilyfrost let out a bark. "Enough of this! Jay, wait for me here. This will only take a second."

Jay looked at her in disbelief as Blackfrost smiled. "You heard her," the black wolf sneered at her, "stay."

The older wolf snarled at him.

For some reason, Lilyfrost felt Jay's anxiety in waves. "Don't worry," she reassured the wolf, "he's my packmate."

Jay did not respond, but just sat down on the leaf-littered ground, wrapping her tail around her paws. Her eyes gave away her frustration, yet somehow she kept her temper.

"Suit yourself," she growled, "I will wait. Just so you know, we don't have much time until-" she broke off, bowing her head.

"What is the old coot talking about?" Blackfrost asked Lilyfrost, who looked very grim.

"Just hurry up with this," Lilyfrost mumbled to him, slipping into the undergrowth. Taking one last look at Jay, Blackfrost followed her, his face formed into a devious smile.

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Buckstar tried hard not to explode into a fit of rage when he saw Dawntail slip casually into the camp, her head high as if nothing had happened. His claws dug into the mossy ground as he felt Hollypaw's pelt press comfortingly against his.

"I have to…_talk_ to her," the Alpha growled, his hunter green eyes flaring dangerously.

"I'm not stopping you." His apprentice bowed her head respectfully. She then padded out of the Healer's Den, leaving Buckstar alone.

His feelings were a mixture of betrayal, hate and sorrow. His injured shoulder groaned as he got up and slipped out of the lichen-covered den. His eyes adjusted to the sudden daylight and he caught the russet red flash of his mate's fur. She was not coming towards him. She was heading towards the Pack Den, her head low to the ground.

_I have to stop her!_ He thought and he limped towards the she-wolf, his breaths ragged with exhaustion. His mate did not notice him until he was right behind her, his teeth bared.

Dawntail turned around, surprise flickering in her blue eyes. "Buckstar! I didn't notice you there!" Her voice sounded tight, just as Buckstar expected it to be.

"I have to talk to you," Buckstar growled, narrowing his eyes.

The she-wolf's blue eyes did not waver. She glanced at the Pack Den and then back to him. "It's not the best time to talk, Buckstar. I have to-"

Buckstar's voice grew several octaves lower as he snarled, "_we need to talk!_"

Dawntail flinched, her fur starting to bristle. "What's wrong with you?" She hissed angrily.

The Alpha could not help it as his voice started to shake with his anger. "I don't know, why don't you ask_ Blackfrost_?"

Dawntail froze, her eyes unmoving. "Blackfrost?"

Buckstar wanted to kill her_ now_. "Yes. _Blackfrost_."

"What are you talking about?" His mate sounded offended. "Buckstar, are you saying-"

"Don't play games with me, she-wolf," the he-wolf snarled, "I know what you hide!"

Dawntail narrowed her eyes. "I _really_ have to go now." She turned to go into the Pack Den, but Buckstar quickly stepped into her way, despite his injuries.

The pregnant she-wolf let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you _honestly_ think I'm cheating on you?" Her gaze pierced through the hunter green eyes of her mate.

Buckstar's lip curled in anger. "I do."

Dawntail blinked. She was not expecting _that_ reaction from the usually loving he-wolf. "Well…well, I'm not."

"How can I believe you, Dawntail," Buckstar growled, "when you have already deceived me so many times?"

"Deceived you?" Dawntail's jaw opened in a gape. "What-"

Not ever her words can stop Buckstar now. "How come Hollypaw saw you and Blackfrost go out of the camp _together_?" He snarled, lashing his tail.

"Was that freak following me again?" Dawntail hissed, digging her claws into the earth under her.

"Freak?" Buckstar blinked in his surprise. "Is he…following you?"

Dawntail's expression changed from angry to irrated in a blink of an eye. "He's _constantly _following me. Please get him to stop, Buckstar. I'm starting to think he has…_bad_ intentions."

Buckstar looked skeptical.

"I'm pregnant, for StarPack's sake!" She drew closer to the Alpha. "I'm sorry if you thought I was…_cheating_."

Buckstar did not stop her as she licked his cheek.

"Please," she whined, "please make Blackfrost see that I already have a mate."

The Alpha sighed and nodded. He then dug his claws into the earth, hatred for the black wolf growing in his heart. "I will."

Dawntail smiled and licked him again. "Thanks for understanding, Buckstar."

_How could I ever think she was cheating on me,_ Buckstar thought, _when she hates it when_ _Lilyfrost and I are together_- He then thought of the silver she-wolf, who could be in danger. His heart quickened with alarm.

"What's wrong?" Dawntail asked him, sensing his sudden fear.

Buckstar decided not to tell her. "It's nothing. I'm just…uh, I think you should stay in the Nursery from now on."

Dawntail cocked her head to the side. "Aw, really? You know I don't like being…_confined_." Her voice had a husky tone to it, making Buckstar's fur tingle.

"I know," he answered her, "but you know, with the pups and all…"

"Alright," Dawntail whispered in his ear and licked his muzzle. Her ears then flicked forward. "I think Sagetail is calling me." She turned to slip into the Pack Den, but Buckstar's bark stopped her.

"Dawntail," Buckstar said as she turned around to face him once again, "Sagetail is _dead_."

The she-wolf froze. "W-what?"

"I killed him. He was a traitor."

"You…you_ killed_ him?" Dawntail's voice was high in her alarm. "W-what did he do?"

Buckstar thought about Lilyfrost and he decided not to tell Dawntail what happened. "He betrayed us, Dawn. That's all you need to know."

"That's…horrible." Dawntail looked distant and she let out a small whine. "I…I guess I will go to the Nursery…"

"Why?" Buckstar asked her. "Don't you hate being…_confined_?"

"I need some time, Buckstar," Dawntail said, her voice a little shaky, "I need to think for a while…"

Buckstar cocked his head in confusion. "Want me to bring you some fresh-kill?"

Dawntail just shook her head and left him, the same distant look on her face.

The Alpha squared his shoulders and growled. _She's definitely hiding something!_ He thought angrily. Suddenly, a howl broke through the silence of the camp.


	45. Chapter 44: It All Comes Tumbling Down

**Here's chapter 44! Only six more to go!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 44- It All Comes Tumbling Down

Lilyfrost followed Blackfrost through the forest, her ears flicked forward on high alert. "Where are you taking me?" She asked the male wolf, her voice level.

Blackfrost looked over his shoulder, an unreadable expression on his face. "I have to…show you something."

The she-wolf blinked. "What?"

Blackfrost looked thoughtful for a second, then frowned. "It's about Stormpaw. I, uh, don't know what he wants, but he said to bring you right away."

"Stormpaw?" asked Lilyfrost.

The black wolf nodded and turned his head to look forward again. "He's by The Gorge-"

"The Gorge?" The silver she-wolf stopped. One area she learned to avoid in the RainPack territory was The Gorge. It was treacherous terrain, with steep cliffs and jagged rocks scattered about. Unlike the forest, it was void of vegetation and also dry as a desert, but without the sand. The ground cracked underneath the wolves' paws as if it was begging them for rain.

"What would he want to show me here?" Lilyfrost growled as they stepped out of the forest and into The Gorge. The sun was strong on their backs and the swift, mildly cool wind blew through their pelts.

Blackfrost padded past her to the edge of a rather large cliff. Lilyfrost did not follow him, wary. The black wolf turned around to face her, his beady ice blue eyes flashing.

"He's down here," said Blackfrost, "you'll need to come here to see him."

Lilyfrost bared her teeth. "I don't trust you, Blackfrost."

The black he-wolf flicked his ears and cocked his head to the side. "You came here with me, didn't you? You must have trusted me, even for a little bit." A small growl leaked out of his low voice.

Lilyfrost narrowed her lilac-colored eyes. She then took a deep breath and opened her mouth. "_Stormpaw_!" she called out, hearing her voice echo through the vastness that made up The Gorge.

"Do you think he's going to hear you from all the way down there?" growled Blackfrost. "Come here and you'll see him." He then turned away from her and looked down the cliff.

The silver she-wolf saw his tail wag as his black head turned to her once again. "He's down there!" He exclaimed. "He's got something interesting to show you."

Lilyfrost raised a brow. "What is it?" she probed him, her eyes still narrowed suspiciously.

Blackfrost shrugged. "I don't know. You know your apprentice, Lilyfrost."

The she-wolf blinked and looked past Blackfrost's shoulder to the expanse of space ahead of him. She can tell the cliff was a sheer drop.

"He's not going to wait forever, you know," Blackfrost growled, lashing his tail. "He's growing impatient-"

"How did he get down there in the first place?" Lilyfrost interrupted quickly, clearly still wary of the he-wolf's believability.

"How would _I _know, Lilyfrost?" The black wolf sighed. "He's not _my _apprentice. He's yours." He then smirked. "Only StarPack knows how found me, Sagetail and the others when we first came to RainPack…"

Lilyfrost's fur rose at the sound of her former packmate's name. "True," she growled, "but what makes me think I can believe you?"

Blackfrost growled, sounding impatient. "You just have to, okay?"

The way he hissed at her made Lilyfrost cringe. She had heard that way of talking before, but it was the wolf she hated most, the wolf she wished would drown in her own blood. _Dawntail._

Lilyfrost took a few tentative steps forward, her eyes locked with Blackfrost. "This better be quick, Blackfrost." She then stood at the edge of the cliff, her eyes drifting towards the ground. With a gasp, she realized she has been tricked. There was no one there!

"It'll be quicker than you think."

Blackfrost's sneer was drowned out by the pain she felt when he butted her flank with his head, sending her tumbling down the cliff.

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Jay froze. Through the undergrowth that made up her hiding place, she watched Blackfrost push Lilyfrost off the cliff. Her gray fur bristled with anger. _I knew that wolf was up to no good!_ She thought angrily.

Her muscles tensed to rush at Blackfrost, who cackled maniacally from the edge of the cliff.

"Dawntail will be pleased," he growled. His laughter was then interrupted by a shriek. Jay barely had time to recognize Lilyfrost's paws handing on to the edge of the cliff, the she-wolf struggling to get back on solid ground.

"Help me!" the silver she-wolf cried desperately. She scrabbled helplessly on the cracked earth as Blackfrost watched on, his ice blue eyes smothering with contempt.

"I don't think so," growled the wolf as he placed his big, black paws on hers. With a gentle push, he dislodged Lilyfrost's claws from the edge and he sent her spiraling to the ground.

Jay cringed as she heard the ominous crack of bones as Lilyfrost crashed to the bottom. Her knowledge of healing told her there was no possible way Lilyfrost could have survived that fall without being seriously injured or worse…_dead_.

Her claws dug into the ground as Blackfrost looked down into the cliff. He then smiled and laughed, his sharp, white fangs reflecting eerily on the intense light from the sun.

Jay could not take any more of this. She had to get that she-wolf some help. _Fast._ She backed out of the undergrowth and darted back into the forest, her paws barely touching the ground as she ran.

Once she was well away from The Gorge, she slowed down, her tongue lolled out in a pant. _How will I ever find their pack in this forest? _She thought in despair. She looked around, but all she saw was a small pool and large oak tree.

Something suddenly shimmered out of the corner of her eye. She froze, watching the small, clear pool as it rippled violently. Her blue eyes dilated with fear as she backed away, her tail tucked between her legs.

A wolf suddenly jumped out of the pool, its lithe frame landing softly on the ground. It was a she-wolf, her pelt a light shade of gray. She had blue eyes very similar to Jay.

The Unworthy Wolf could not believe her eyes. "Rainstripe?" she asked, her voice shaking.

The spectral wolf bowed her head and nodded. "It is I, sister." Rainstripe then lifted her head to look at the older she-wolf again. "It is nice to see you again, Jayfeather."

Jay's ears flipped against her head when she heard her warrior name. She studied her sister, noticing the stars sparkling in her fur. She knew her sister was dead, her former rigor regained since she had last seen her so many moons ago.

"Sister," Rainstripe said, drawing closer to her. "You look so tired. Why don't you rest here by the DreamPool?"

Jay shook her head. "I have to go, Rainstripe. I'm sorry-"

Her sister nodded, her blue eyes softening. "I understand. You have been through a lot and I will help you." She then blinked and pointed her muzzle to the side. "I will lead you through RainPack territory to the camp."

Jay smiled. "Thank you."

Rainstripe smiled too. "I owed you. You still didn't give up on StarPack even though you were in that horrid place."

"It wasn't StarPack I believed in;" Jay admitted, "it was you."

The ghostly she-wolf's smile grew bigger. Then, she abruptly frowned. "It was not only you who believed in us, Jayfeather. River-"

"She reminded me so much of you," said Jay quickly, "so selfless, so caring-"

Rainstripe's frown never left her face. "Her destiny is shrouded, dear sister. I don't know where her paws will take her."

The dark gray she-wolf blinked, worried. "What are you trying to say?"

Rainstripe shook her head. "Forget it. We have to hurry. That she-wolf is in terrible danger."

Jay cocked her head to the side in confusion. "How do you know?"

"I'm in StarPack now, Jayfeather;" Rainstripe answered her, "I know more than _you_ know."

Jay nodded, understanding. Without another word, Rainstripe shot out of the clearing, her sister following after. She ran after her, dodging around the trees and tangled roots underneath. She ran until her paws almost gave way to exhaustion.

Rainstripe suddenly stopped, causing Jay to run into her. Jay, of course, went right through her. The StarPack wolf turned to her sister, her eyes clouded with pain.

"This is where we part," she said. "I hope we meet again."

Jay got up and shook her pelt. She then nodded to the spectral wolf, her eyes tearing up. "Goodbye, Rainstripe."

The she-wolf bowed her head and disappeared into nothingness, leaving only the scent of forests and faint trace of dew. Jay shook her head, blinking the tears away. She furrowed her brows in determination.

_Lilyfrost needs me,_ she told herself. _Concentrate, Jay. You have to get help._

The wolf looked around, noticing a particular path trodden by many paws on the ground. She followed it, hearing the faint roar of a river near her ears. She then heard an even bigger sound. One of a waterfall.

She then broke into a run, smelling the unmistakable scent of a pack of wolves. She was close! She thundered through the camp entrance, letting out a howl.

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Buckstar turned his head towards the sound, his ears pricked in alert. A dark gray she-wolf broke through the camp entrance, her frail body heaving with every breath she took. She collapsed, panting.

The Alpha ran towards her, fearful of her condition. She looked familiar, but not enough to give Buckstar a name. Using his uninjured shoulder, he helped her get back on her four paws again.

"Lily-Lilyfrost," the she-wolf panted.

Buckstar blinked. He did not expect the she-wolf to say that. "What about Lilyfrost?"

"She fell…off a cliff…" The she-wolf coughed violently as she regained her breath.

"_Fell off a cliff_?" Buckstar cried. He dug his claws into the ground, his pelt starting to bristle uncontrollably. "Fell? She fell off a-"

"Yes." Jay shook her head. "How many times do I have to tell you? She's in danger-"

Dawntail suddenly appeared next to him, a brow raised. "_Who_ fell off a cliff?" she asked Jay, her voice inquisitive.

Ignoring her, Buckstar ran through the RainPack camp entrance. He ignored the she-wolves' calls after him as he pelted through the trees and the undergrowth, rage fueling his limbs to move. Pain shot up to his brain in protest, his limbs having been through a lot that day, but Buckstar did not care. He needed to find Lilyfrost.

Suddenly, he felt a tug on his tail and he slowed down, snarling in anger. Before he could turn around to see who it was, he was tackled from the side. He gasped; the wind was knocked out of him. They landed in the dust; the momentum of their bodies had sent them airborne.

He felt sharp claws dig into his injured chest and he let out a cry of agony as teeth bore into his sore shoulder. His eyes flashed red as he writhed around, the heavy weight on his belly pinning him down. As if it was not enough, he felt the hot rage of the Darkness taking over him…

He was having another attack.

He shook his head, trying to clear the feeling of the Darkness's icy claws wrap themselves around his brain. It was no use, for he started to feel his aching limbs get stronger with every ounce of control he lost to the Darkness.

_No!_ He cried in his mind. He let out a roar of agony, making his opponent give a surprise shudder. He still did not know who it was, for the rage was clouding his eyes, blinding him. His hind legs kicked out, making contact with his opponent's belly. Strangely, he felt a sort of…bulkiness there and the wolf let out a startled yelp. The Alpha gave a gasp as the weight disappeared from his belly. The force of his powerful kick must have sent his opponent flying.

Only then could Buckstar see the russet red of his mate's fur as she rolled away from him, sending up dust in the air. He quickly got up, his mouth frothing with the rage that was building inside of him.

Dawntail did not move.

_No…_

Buckstar, gaining a bit of control of his body, made a move to go help her, but the Darkness forced him to turn away and continue on his search for Lilyfrost.

Somehow, he knew she was at The Gorge. He did not know how, but he figured the Darkness had something to do with it. His paws flying at a speed Buckstar once thought was impossible, he made his way through the dense forest, the Darkness enabling him to weave in and out of the vegetation.

He finally arrived at The Gorge, his flanks heaving with every breathless gulp of air he took. Even in his maddened state, the Alpha could make out the sharp edge of the cliff that Lilyfrost must have fell off of. Running across the earth worn ground, he stood at the edge of the cliff. He looked down, wincing upon the sight of Lilyfrost.

The Darkness's grip on his body was quickly waning and he gained his will once again. He let out a cry of agony as sharp thorns of pain made their way through his abused body. He forced himself to look down again at Lilyfrost. He could barely make out her shape out of the immense tangle of undergrowth at the bottom, but he caught a glimpse of her mangled body…

…and she was not breathing.


	46. Chapter 45: Treachery

**Sorry I took so long (again). 5 more chaps to go until the end! **

**=D **

**Hang in there guys!!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 45- Treachery

Dawntail lay there for a few minutes, listening to her own breathing. She gritted her teeth and groaned, feeling the dull ache of the kick Buckstar's hind legs gave to her tender belly.

_I should not have done that,_ she thought angrily. _However, I have to stop him…_

She placed her paws under her, struggling to get up, but to no avail. She let out a grunt and tried again, this time managing to stand up. She wavered slightly, her limbs shaking, but soon she was sturdy.

Dawntail looked around, narrowing her black-marked eyes. _I can't believe Blackfrost pulled it off,_ she thought, smiling smugly. _That witch must be dead by now._

Pausing a moment to lick off the filth that gathered on her russet-red coat, she walked into the undergrowth, her bulging belly aching painfully. She followed her mate's scent through the forest; her blue eyes alight with pride.

"He's mine…" she said aloud. "I did it. He's all mine and none other's." She gingerly parted the fronds of a large fern with her snout and brushed past it, feeling the soft scrapes of the leaves' tips against her flank.

"Where are you going?"

The voice made her stop. She turned around and came face-to-face with Larksong, his head cocked to the side. The Beta examined Dawntail, his blue eyes questioning.

"Nowhere, Larksong," answered the she-wolf. "I was just going to-"

"You're hurt." The black and white he-wolf stepped closer to her, his snout pointing to a scratch on Dawntail's chest.

The pregnant wolf shrugged. "It's nothing."

Larksong gave her a disbelieving look. "Who are you looking for?"

Dawntail blinked, flattening her ears. She backed away just a fraction, her tail brushing against the ground. She took on a submissive posture. "Please, Larksong, don't hurt me."

The Beta's mouth opened in a gape. "I'm not going to hurt you, Dawntail-"

"Oh." She straightened herself again, giving him a coy smile. "Well I suppose I should get going then."

Larksong blinked in confusion. Before Dawntail can step away, he let out a bark, stopping her. "You didn't answer my question. Who are you looking for?"

"Well," Dawntail said softly. "Buckstar, of course."

Larksong's bright blue eyes flickered. "Why?"

She gave him a small frown. "Do you really want me to explain? In full detail? Well, since he's my_ mate_, I suppose once in a while we should-"

"Okay, okay, stop." Larksong shook his head. "I got it. I'll help you look for him."

Dawntail vigorously shook her head. "N-no, you don't have to."

"I want to and anyways, I was looking for him too. Let's go." The Beta sniffed around, catching Buckstar's scent in the air. He smiled at Dawntail and pointed forward with his snout. "Follow me." Without another word, he disappeared into the undergrowth.

Dawntail growled inaudibly, wishing the Beta would go away and leave her alone. She then smiled, thinking of Lilyfrost's possible death. _By the time we get there,_ she thought, _she's already dead._

Still smiling, she followed the he-wolf, tail waving in the air.

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Jay watched for Larksong's signal, telling her and the two wolves behind her to follow him and the unaware Dawntail.

She could feel the two wolves next to her shift restlessly.

"I knew she was up to no good," one of them growled.

Jay quickly shushed him, not taking her eyes off the Beta. If she had closed her eyes for even a second, she would have missed it. Larksong's snout went up in the air in a sniffing motion. That was the signal.

Once Dawntail's tail disappeared into the undergrowth, Jay led her group out of the safety of the ferns. The bigger wolf, a she-wolf, let out a sigh.

"I hope Lilyfrost's alright," she whispered into the ear of the smaller wolf.

The male wolf, the one who had spoken earlier, flicked his ears. "Knowing Dawntail, I don't think so, Hollypaw."

The black she-wolf bowed her head, her green eyes downcast.

"Shush, apprentices," growled Jay.

The small male, Stormpaw, said nothing; but Hollypaw nodded. Jay led them through the forest, following Larksong and Dawntail's scent. The dark gray she-wolf bunched her muscles and squared her shoulders, preparing for the battle that was sure to come.

_I did not know these wolves were in battle with themselves_, she thought in despair. _They might not be ready for Shade and the High Wolves tonight. I have to get back there and tell them the plan Buckstar has for us before that time._

Pushing that thought aside for now, she concentrated on following the two wolves. Suddenly, she sensed that something was horribly wrong. Screeches and barks erupted from the edge of the forest. She rushed forward, the two apprentices flanking her.

As soon as she broke through the undergrowth, her blue eyes opened wide in despair.

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"_No!"_

Buckstar's cry rang out through the expanse of the cliff. His eyes were stinging with tears. He had to get down there, fast. Scrabbling against the earth worn ground, he ran along the edge of the cliff, looking for a way down.

The Alpha once again looked down at Lilyfrost. To his immediate relief, he saw her tail flicker and one of her legs twitch feebly. _She's alive!_

"I'm coming for you, Lilyfrost!" Buckstar cried out to her. He studied the edge of the cliff, his hunter-green eyes narrowing in determination_. I might have to slowly find my way down there or fall-_

Suddenly, a growl erupted from somewhere behind him.

He turned around. Before he could even see who it was, his head snapped back as a claw scraped its way across his face, blood spurting from his snout. He collapsed backward in sheer surprise, his body uncomfortably near the cliff edge. He quickly got up and faced his attacker.

Blackfrost.

The black-wolf's paw was covered in blood and his face contorted with disgust as he looked at it. Drops of blood scattered around the ground as the wolf shook his paw.

"You sure know how to bleed, Buckstar," he growled, placing his paw back on the ground.

Buckstar shakily stood up, feeling the warm blood run down his neck. His eyes were like pieces of flint as he glared at the wolf. "You did it." His voice was deep with rage.

"So?" Blackfrost shrugged, as if he killed a wolf every day. He sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

Buckstar watched his motions with cold hatred. He did not expect Blackfrost to betray him. Not like this. He looked over his shoulder, at the cliff's edge. He needed to take care of Lilyfrost, not waste his time with this traitor.

"What are you going to do about it, Buckstar? Kill me like you did to Sagetail?" Blackfrost's icy tone struck a chord in Buckstar. How could he know about Sagetail?

"I just might have to," growled Buckstar. Before he could make a move towards Blackfrost, the black wolf jumped back, causing the Alpha to stumble awkwardly.

"I never knew you were a murderer, Buckstar," Blackfrost sneered, stalking around the tired light brown he-wolf. "You always seemed to be the…good guy type."

Buckstar ignored him, instead rushing forward again, claws extended for the attack. Just in time, Blackfrost sidestepped and the Alpha rushed past him.

"Losing your touch, eh?"

"I shouldn't be wasting my time with you," growled Buckstar, "I have to help Lilyfrost-"

"Why, you coward?" the black wolf spat. "She's dead."

"Not yet!" Buckstar lunged at Blackfrost, only to crash into the ground. He let out a roar of agony as his legs throbbed painfully, causing him to collapse on the ground.

Blackfrost laughed as the he-wolf struggled to stand up. "You're tired, Alpha. Why don't you just give up right now?"

"I will have to give up my five lives before I lose to you!" In one last effort, Buckstar rose on his hind legs, sharp claws extended. In a swift movement, he came down on Blackfrost, using his weight to crush the wolf underneath his stomach. He felt the black wolf's teeth on his belly and he cried out in pain.

Blackfrost managed to slip out from under the Alpha and raked his claws down his flank before Buckstar can react. The light brown wolf was delirious from the loss of blood, his breaths coming out in short gasps.

"Surrender?" Blackfrost's upper lip curled to show intimidating white fangs. "Or rather, any last words?"

"If Lilyfrost dies, you will never forgive yourself." Buckstar's eyes glinted with fury as Blackfrost smiled.

"Oh, really?" Blackfrost snorted. "Are you really thinking of _her _rather than yourself at this time?"

"I would die to protect my clanmates," breathed Buckstar, his energy already failing him. He could see his blood on the ground around him. This might be his last stand as an Alpha. Blackfrost might just kill off every life he had, one by one.

Blackfrost's ice blue eyes glittered. Before he could say anything, an explosion of barks and snarls came from the edge of the forest. Both of the he-wolves looked to see Larksong and Dawntail run out from the undergrowth.

Buckstar barely saw the flash of gray and black as Stormpaw and Hollypaw threw themselves on Dawntail. The she-wolf fell to the ground, snapping at the apprentices. Larksong ran towards Blackfrost, his black and white pelt a streak to the Alpha's eyes.

The Beta made contact with the warrior in a fit of snarls and barks, claws and fur flying everywhere. With Blackfrost distracted, Buckstar got up and limped towards Dawntail and the apprentices.

"Let me go!" The she-wolf was snarling, writhing against the paws of the two smaller wolves on top of her. Jay appeared next to them, her blue eyes examining Buckstar.

The Alpha nodded to her, mouthing silent thanks.

Jay bowed her head.

Turning back to the apprentices, he told them, "Keep a good grip on her." He saw the look of despair flash on his mate's face. He thought he could trust her, but know he knew his suspicions were correct. She's been with Blackfrost all this time, plotting to kill Lilyfrost.

"Buckstar!" Dawntail cried, her eyes flashing angrily. "You can't possibly think-"

"I'm not speaking to you." Buckstar turned away from her, ignoring her cries for him to come back to her. He padded back to Larksong, who had Blackfrost pinned under his paws. Larksong opened his jaws to close them around the black wolf's throat in a fatal bite.

"Don't kill him."

Buckstar's words caused Larksong to close his jaws and look up at the Alpha curiously.

"But, Buckstar-"

"We need all the warriors we can get for tonight's battle, remember?" Buckstar glanced at Blackfrost. He could see the relief on the black wolf's face, but Buckstar's frown just grew bigger.

"When we get back to the camp, though," the Alpha continued, "we will deal with him."

Alarm now flashed in Blackfrost's face as Larksong released him. The Beta pressed his flank close to the black wolf, making sure he does not run away.

Buckstar then looked across the bloodstained clearing to Jay, and he caught her staring at him.

"We need to get Lilyfrost," he called out to her, "she's badly injured."

"I could've guessed that much." Jay padded towards the Alpha, her dark gray tail dragging on the ground. She brushed past Dawntail, who looked on as her long-time plan to kill Lilyfrost was crashing and burning to the ground.

Not looking back, Buckstar padded along the cliff's edge, trying to find a way down. He could see Lilyfrost's body at the bottom. She must have fallen unconscious, for she stopped moving.

"Over here," Jay called him, pointing to a narrow cleft on the side of the cliff face with her snout. "I don't know why you didn't notice this before."

Buckstar shrugged and hurriedly limped towards her, carefully placing his paws close together and shuffling his way down the precarious cleft. After he was a few feet down, he looked up at Jay.

The she-wolf's dark gray head poked from the edge as she looked down at him. "I'll stay up here and make sure the wolves don't get away," she said. "If I go down with you, our combined weights will cause the cleft to crumble."

"Alright," answered Buckstar, continuing his slow descent to the bottom. As he got closer and closer to Lilyfrost's body, he could tell one of her hind legs was at an odd angle. _It must be broken,_ he thought, his heart sinking with dread.

Once he got close enough, he jumped to the ground, wincing as his wounds throbbed painfully with contact. He shook off the pain and limped towards Lilyfrost. The undergrowth that absorbed most of Lilyfrost's momentum as she fell surrounded her. They were the reason Lilyfrost was still alive…barely.

Buckstar moved close to her and crouched low to the ground, his muzzle resting against hers. One of her lilac eyes flicked open and she groaned in pain. Her silver coat was laden with dirt and little bits of debris from the vegetation.

"Shh," Buckstar soothed her. "It's gonna be okay."

"Buckstar?" Lilyfrost's voice was small and weak.

"I'm here, Lilyfrost. I'm here with you."

"Ugh," she groaned, gritting her teeth. "It hurts…"

"I'm going to get you out of here, just hold still." Buckstar carefully placed his muzzle underneath the small of Lilyfrost's back. With a painful heave, he lifted her onto his own back. He cringed under the sudden weight, but to his relief, his limbs kept strong.

The she-wolf gave a cry of pain as Buckstar started to climb the cleft again. He felt the narrow ledge under him slightly give way and he gulped, trying to keep his mind focusing forward. He felt Lilyfrost shift on top of him and her muffled whines of pain.

"Don't move," he growled to her.

"You're hurt!" she whispered feebly.

Buckstar had to run all the way to the top to keep Lilyfrost and himself from falling down the cliff. With one last herculean jump, he reached the top of the cliff. He cried out as he collapsed on the earth-worn ground.

"_The witch is alive_!" Dawntail cried, her voice shaking furiously.

Jay darted to the Alpha's side and helped him get Lilyfrost off his back. He gave a long exhale, his race up and down the cliff draining the last bit of energy out of him. Lilyfrost was sprawled out of the ground, Jay hovering above her.

"J-Jay?" Lilyfrost stammered, her voice weak.

"Don't speak," Jay told her. "You need to get to your Healer quickly. That leg looks bad."

Buckstar looked up at the dark gray she-wolf, squinting at the glare of the harsh afternoon sun. "I could take her back," he offered.

Jay shook her head. "No, Buckstar. You are too weak."

The Alpha's brows furrowed, thoroughly offended.

"I don't need anyone's help," Lilyfrost growled, shakily standing up on her paws. After a few seconds, she collapsed, crying out in pain. Her broken leg jutted out in an awkward angle.

"I told you not to do that," snarled Jay.

Lilyfrost looked down at her paws, sighing in weariness.

"I'll take her, then," Larksong barked from the other side of the clearing.

"But Larksong-" Buckstar didn't have time before Larksong started to run towards Lilyfrost. Blackfrost, seeing his chance of freedom, darted out of sight.

Buckstar gritted his teeth. "No!"

Larksong stopped and turned around, realizing his mistake. Before he could act, Jay bolted after the black wolf, her lithe frame disappearing into the forest.

The Alpha cut Larksong a quick glare before returning to Lilyfrost. The she-wolf was staring at Larksong, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"You-"

"Idiot. I know." The Beta shuffled to her side. "That she-wolf will catch up with him soon enough."

"But is she strong enough to take him on?" Buckstar challenged him, irritated.

Larksong gave him a hurt look and shook his head. "Probably not."

Buckstar closed his eyes, letting a small growl escape his throat. "Take her, Larksong. I have to go help Jay."

Larksong nodded, his eyes downcast.

With a groan, Lilyfrost clambered up on top of the black and white wolf's back. Larksong's legs buckled as he swayed with her weight. Steadying himself, he looked up at Buckstar.

"Take her back to the camp," ordered the Alpha, "I will meet you there."

The Beta nodded. He then looked at Stormpaw and Hollypaw, who had Dawntail between them. The she-wolf could not bring herself to look at her mate.

"You two follow him. I will have to see to Dawntail after everything else."

Dawntail's blue eyes misted over as the two apprentices next to her nodded. They forced her to get to her paws. To Buckstar's surprise, she did not protest and she allowed the two smaller wolves to lead her into the forest after Larksong and Lilyfrost.

Soon Buckstar was the only one left in the bloodstained clearing. He bowed his head in sorrow, a sigh escaping from his lips.

_This has to be the worst day of my life._


	47. Chapter 46: Empty Promises

**Here's an early Christmas present! A new chapter! :)**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 46- Empty Promises

Lilyfrost did not dare look back at Dawntail as Larksong carried her through the forest. She knew the she-wolf wanted to kill her. She knew it all along. The looks, the growls, the ever-present hostility. It was all there, yet Lilyfrost always had some hope Dawntail would come to her senses. She was wrong.

What surprised her most was Blackfrost. She had never thought the wolf was working with Dawntail. Lilyfrost did not have to guess as to_ why_ he helped her. It was obvious.

She could hear Larksong's panting and her ears twitched. Now with Blackfrost on the loose again, StarPack only know what he could do. She shivered at the thought.

It was not long before they reached the entrance of the camp. Larksong padded across the camp's large clearing until he was right in front of Fernleaf's den. Lilyfrost could hear the roar of the waterfall as he bent down, allowing her to slide off his back.

With a thump, she landed on the ground. Momentarily dazed, she could not see Fernleaf as the Healer padded up to her.

"What happened?"

The dark gray she-wolf sounded shocked. Larksong quickly told her, and the Healer nodded grimly. "Go, Larksong. I will take care of her now."

The Beta hurriedly left them and ran towards Dawntail and the two apprentices.

Lilyfrost looked up at Fernleaf and whined, pain shooting up her leg.

The Healer gave her a sympathetic look and turned around to face the inside of her den. "Twilightpaw!" she called and the light brown apprentice scrambled out, her pelt ruffled.

Twilightpaw looked down at Lilyfrost as she let out a gasp. "Her leg-"

"It's broken. I can tell from here." Fernleaf looked at her apprentice. "Help me get her into the den."

Twilightpaw nodded.

Lilyfrost felt the apprentice's teeth sink into her scruff as she dragged her into the Healer Den. The cool, mossy ground felt welcoming to her abused body.

"Get some of those fronds to support her leg, Twilightpaw," growled Fernleaf as the Healer padded around Lilyfrost, sniffing at her coat for any other wounds.

Lilyfrost heard the apprentice give a murmured reply and she shuffled off to fetch the fronds. She gave a weak groan as Fernleaf pressed her wet nose against her injured thigh.

"Besides the leg, everything else seems to be fine," the Healer muttered to her, "just some cuts and bruises here and there, but that's easily fixed."

Lilyfrost scented Twilightpaw as the apprentice neared them, a pair of long, skinny leaf fronds hanging from her jaws. The warrior recognized the leaves from trees she marks when patrolling the borders.

"Here you go," said Twilightpaw, dropping the fronds on the mossy ground in front of Fernleaf. "Anything else?"

Fernleaf shook her head. "No, but why don't you go and check on Silentheart's pups? Earlier today, I felt Bearpup's nose and it was a bit dry. I'm afraid he's going to catch a cold this early in the season."

Twilightpaw nodded and slipped out of the den.

Fernleaf turned her attention back to Lilyfrost. After a few moments of silence, she growled, "I can't believe they did this to you."

Lilyfrost gritted her teeth in frustration. "That stupid wretch of a wolf is going to pay," she growled.

The gray Healer nodded sympathetically. "You're lucky you survived that fall. Thank StarPack you didn't suffer anything more than a broken leg."

"Will it heal?" Lilyfrost asked as Fernleaf started to apply the fronds to her leg. She let out a snarl as agonizing pain shot up through her body.

"Only time will tell, Lilyfrost," Fernleaf replied. "The only thing I can do now is wrap it up in these fronds and give you poppy seeds for the pain. You will not be able to do your normal warrior duties-"

"But I have to fight!" Lilyfrost argued. "I have to fight with the pack tonight-"

Fernleaf shook her head. "Not with a broken leg. I'm sorry, Lilyfrost, but the pack will have to do without you."

Lilyfrost squirmed under Fernleaf's grip. "No! I have to-"

"Hold still," growled Fernleaf, "or you'll make it worse!"

Reluctantly Lilyfrost stopped moving, but her frustrated growls echoed through the cave. "Stupid Dawntail. Stupid Blackfrost. Stupid everything."

Fernleaf finished applying the temporary frond 'cast' to the she-wolf's leg and she padded to her cave shelves to gather some poppy seeds in her paw.

"Why today of all days does she try to kill me? Why?" Lilyfrost wailed as the Healer padded back to her.

"I'm sure Buckstar will not let her get away with this," whispered Fernleaf gently as she gave Lilyfrost the poppy seeds. "These will make you feel better-"

"I know, I know," growled Lilyfrost bitterly as she licked up the seeds. "Buckstar will not kill her. I know that, but…"

"But what?"

Lilyfrost looked up at Fernleaf, her lilac-colored eyes cloudy with pain. "But will he know the truth? Will he know about-"

"Shh, Lilyfrost," Fernleaf soothed her, "rest."

"I can't hide it any longer, Fernleaf. I have to tell him." Lilyfrost's head started to droop in her weariness and her eyes started to close.

Fernleaf started to pad out of the den, but Lilyfrost's small bark stopped her mid-step.

"Tell him, will you? Tell him when he comes back."

Fernleaf shook her head. "No, Lilyfrost. That is _your _job, not mine."

Lilyfrost let out a sigh and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The Healer did not look back as she slipped out of the den.

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Stormpaw flicked his ears forward when Larksong padded up to them. The Beta wolf let out a low growl and snapped at Dawntail, who cringed back into Hollypaw.

"Traitor," he snarled.

Dawntail bared her teeth in a weak defense, but Hollypaw stepped between them before Larksong could react.

"Let Buckstar take care of this when he comes back, Larksong," she told him gently. "He will know what to do with her."

Larksong nodded. Dawntail, on the other hand, let out a whine.

"None of you will understand why I did this. None of you." The pregnant she-wolf hung her head and growled, "Buckstar will not be foolish enough to kill me. I'm pregnant with his pups."

Stormpaw looked at Hollypaw. She was right. Buckstar _cannot _kill her.

"Just wait 'til you give birth, though." Stormpaw's voice was low with menace. "Then he'll seek out justice."

"It's not like I killed the stupid she-wolf!" growled Dawntail, her hackles rising in anger. "So she's got a broken leg. Big deal."

"It_ is_ a big deal, Dawntail," snarled Larksong. "Enough of this talking. I have to find you somewhere to go-"

Stormpaw let out a small bark, catching the Beta's attention. "I know a good place, Larksong."

"Really? Where?"

The apprentice pointed his dark gray and light gray muzzle upwards to the cliff where he first found Silentheart, Redpaw and the others.

"Are you kidding me?" Dawntail shook her head and sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws. "I can't make it all the way up there. I'm _pregnant_, remember?"

Larksong nodded slowly. "Though I hate to admit it," he said, "she's right. Nice try, Stormpaw, but she won't be able to jump all those rocks."

Stormpaw's head bowed in defeat. Hollypaw padded up to him, giving his a little nudge of support. The black she-wolf then looked up at her father, her green eyes twinkling.

"Why don't you just keep her in the Nursery? She's pregnant after all."

Larksong shook his head vigorously. "I can't trust her around pups. I just can't."

Dawntail let out a growl. "I'm not a pup killer, Larksong."

The Beta ignored her and said, "The Pack Den will have to do for now until Buckstar can find a better place for her."

The apprentices nodded and positioned themselves on either side of Dawntail. The she-wolf got up, her sides bulging out awkwardly. She was due to give birth soon.

Larksong led them towards the large den. He parted the lichen and slipped inside, followed by the apprentices and Dawntail. Suddenly, a bark sounded from deeper inside the den and Redpaw clambered into sight.

"Wha-what happened?" he asked groggily, his head full of sleep.

Larksong regarded the apprentice with a small nod. "It's okay, Redpaw. Nothing happened."

"But Dawntail-"

"It will be explained to you later. Meanwhile, I need you to look after her and make sure she doesn't leave."

Redpaw was surprised at this request. "Is she a prisoner?"

"Just shut up," Dawntail muttered.

The russet-red he-wolf let out a growl, his fur starting to bristle. "You're not my mentor! You just can't tell me to-"

"Shut up," Larksong sighed, closing his blue eyes. "Sagetail apparently hasn't been training you to listen to your elders, Redpaw."

The apprentice bowed his head. "Well, he hasn't been training me at all lately. I'm sorry-"

"Sagetail hasn't been training you?" Larksong growled.

Dawntail's blue eyes glittered as she growled, "-and he will never be training you again, Redpaw. Sagetail's_ dead_."

Redpaw, Stormpaw, Hollypaw and Larksong all visibly flinched.

"D-dead?" stammered Redpaw. "H-how?"

"You can ask Buckstar about that." Dawntail suddenly stretched on the floor, her huge belly bulging uncomfortably across the mossy floor. "He's the one that killed him."

Larksong shook his head. "I don't believe that. Buckstar could not have-"

Redpaw was quick to interrupt. "Buckstar killed him?" The apprentice's voice shook with anger.

Dawntail lifted her head from the floor to stare at the apprentice with her cold, blue eyes. Her black marked eyes looked sinister as she snarled, "Yes, he _did _kill him. I don't know why-"

"I don't believe you."

Hollypaw was the one that spoke. "Don't believe her, Redpaw! She is a traitor to RainPack!"

Redpaw's blue eyes glistened with tears. "I-I-"

"Hollypaw, this is not your business," snapped Dawntail, her teeth bared angrily.

"When it involves my mentor it does-"

Redpaw whirled on her, his claws extended and his fur wildly bristling in his fury. "My mentor is _dead_, Hollypaw!"

"Calm down, Redpaw," growled Larksong, defending his daughter. "I'm sure Buckstar didn't kill him."

The russet-red apprentice shook his head. "I don't know who to believe-"

"Believe _me_, Redpaw," sneered Dawntail, flicking her tail against the moss. "I'm telling you the truth."

Larksong shot her a glare and snarled, "Shut up, Dawntail."

The she-wolf was not finished yet when she growled, "And you're calling _me_ the traitor? Why don't you tell that to Buckstar, who killed a member of his own pack-"

"And didn't you try to kill Lilyfrost too?" Stormpaw abruptly growled, his chest puffing up in anger for the betrayal of his mentor.

Redpaw looked at all of them, confusion strewn across his handsome muzzle. "What's going on here? Dawntail, trying to kill Lilyfrost-"

"And I was close too," snarled the she-wolf, ripping the moss in her frustration.

"Enough of this!" Larksong barked, stopping all of them before they broke out in a fight. "We already have enough on our paws to deal with this too. Sagetail is dead. I am sure Buckstar has a reasonable explanation for it. Right now we have to deal with the battle that's coming up tonight, remember?"

The apprentices nodded reluctantly, their pelts laying flat against their backs as their anger ebbed away. Dawntail, however, snarled at Larksong.

"That is just a waste of time. This 'pack' is too weak to take on those wolves-"

Larksong ignored her. "Tonight is when you will have to prove that you are true RainPack warriors."

The three apprentices let out barks of approval.

"I will avenge Sagetail!" Redpaw growled, lashing his tail. Stormpaw and Hollypaw nodded, their eyes bright with determination.

_Then why don't you kill Buckstar?_ Dawntail thought, laughing inwardly on how foolish Redpaw and the others are.

"Hollypaw." Larksong turned towards her daughter. "Why don't you stay here with Dawntail and makes sure she doesn't leave-"

"Where will I go?" sneered Dawntail sarcastically. "Where can I possibly go with a belly like this?"

Hollypaw nodded at Larksong. "I will make sure she doesn't leave, Larksong."

The Beta wolf nuzzled his daughter affectionately. Without another word, Larksong, Redpaw and Stormpaw left the den.

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Buckstar stalked through the forest, lifting his snout high in the air, sniffing for Blackfrost and Jay' scent.

"They couldn't have gone far," he growled, his muscles aching with every step he took. He felt like curling up and going to sleep, but he knew that was impossible. He had promises he intends to fill, like driving out BloodPack and the Darkness once in for all. He is not going to let a little thing like exhaustion get in his way.

He is also not going to let Blackfrost get in his way either. When he caught a faint scent in the air, his fur tingled with recognition. It was Jay's musky scent.

"Buckstar!"

Jay did not need to call him. He was already running towards them, his paws thundering against the leaf-littered ground. Pushing through the undergrowth, he spotted Jay pinned under Blackfrost's paws. The black wolf's amber eyes glittered as he saw Buckstar approach.

"Well, look who's come to the rescue again!" He snickered, lashing his tail.

Buckstar's teeth bore in his anger. "Let her go, Blackfrost."

Jay snapped her teeth against Blackfrost's paws and the he-wolf let out an enraged snarl. He opened his jaws, prepared to snap Jay's frail neck in a killing bite.

"No!" Buckstar roared and leaped forward.

Blackfrost, to his immediate surprise, closed his jaws and licked his lips.

Buckstar abruptly stopped, raising his brows in confusion.

"What are you standing there for, Buckstar?" snarled Jay angrily. "Help me!"

Blackfrost growled at her and turned his head to glare at the Alpha, his amber eyes smothering with hate. "I am willing to end this peacefully, Buckstar. I am going to offer you a deal."

The Alpha's light brown coat bristled with hostility. "Deal? What _deals _can a wolf like_ you _offer _me_, Blackfrost?"

Blackfrost lashed his tail and let out a thoughtful hum. "Either take up my offer or she dies," he growled, opening his jaws slightly.

Buckstar could see the black wolf's intentions clearly. "This doesn't sound like a deal. This sounds like a threat."

"Call it what you may, Buckstar."

Jay let out a desperate whimper as Blackfrost's big paws pressed against her delicate gray chest. "Don't listen to this piece of fox-dung! He's all lies!"

"Shut up, you!" The black he-wolf hissed at her. He then turned back to Buckstar, his eyes narrowing. "Guarantee my life and I'll guarantee hers. It's as simple as that."

Buckstar's claws dug into the earth with his frustration. "You coward. You would rather kill an innocent wolf than risk yours. What a warrior."

"You try my patience, Buckstar," snarled Blackfrost. "Make your choice."

Buckstar was quick to answer. "Let her go, Blackfrost. You will live to see tomorrow."

"Promise me."

Buckstar was taken back with Blackfrost's reply. The black wolf pressed his paws against Jay's chest, making her give a desperate gasp. He was going to crush her to death!

"Promise me!"

"Alright, alright! Let her go!" Buckstar cried as Blackfrost smiled and jumped off the she-wolf. Jay gasped as the sudden weight was lifted off her chest.

"I know how you are with your promises, Buckstar," Blackfrost growled in the Alpha's ear. "You never let them go unfulfilled."

Buckstar narrowed his eyes as Blackfrost brushed past him._ I will make an exception just for you, Blackfrost, _he thought angrily. _This will be one promise I will _not_ have to keep._

Jay limped towards him, her blue eyes blazing. "What in StarPack's name did you do, Buckstar?"

"Don't worry, Jay," said Buckstar calmly. "Some promises are just not meant to be kept."

Jay gave him a wane smile and nodded. "StarPack was right when they chose you to be Alpha."

Buckstar nodded. "Blackfrost will have to go back to RainPack eventually. I will meet him there with waiting paws."

The gray she-wolf closed her blue eyes in thought. "How will you be so sure he will go back to the camp?"

"His pups are there. He will not leave without seeing them for a last time."

Jay tilted her head in confusion. "Um, alright. I have to go back to the DarkDen before nightfall, Buckstar. Tell me your plan for tonight."

Buckstar's hunter green eyes glittered. "Alright."

After he told her, Jay's eyes widened in disbelief. "Isn't that a bit risky?"

Buckstar shook his head. "Just trust me, Jay."

The she-wolf bowed her head respectfully. "I do, Buckstar." Lifting her head, she met his gaze. "I will go now and tell the Unworthy Wolves the plan. May StarPack light your path, Buckstar."

Buckstar blinked and dipped his head curtly. "And to you too, Jay. See you tonight."

Without another word, the she-wolf bounded into the undergrowth and out of sight.


	48. Chapter 47: It's Showtime

**Oh, chapter 47!**

**3 more chapters to go!**

**Get ready! It's showtime!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 47- It's Showtime

In the DarkDen, a wolf was staring out of the topmost window, his amber eyes dark and solemn. He shook his head, sighing heavily. The afternoon sun stung his eyes and he averted his gaze.

_They will never let me go back- _

His thoughts were interrupted by a swift bark behind him. He turned around, facing a light gray she-wolf.

"River," he growled, dipping his head curtly.

"Today is the day, Hawk." Her blue eyes flashed with brilliance. "Jay will be back any time soon with Buckstar's plan."

Hawk cocked his head, wondering if there were any chance of going back to RainPack, any at all, River would join too. He has grown fond of the she-wolf, both for her courage and her beauty.

River noticed him staring and she gave him a small, questioning smile. "Hawk?"

The dark ginger he-wolf's ears flipped back with embarrassment, feeling the soft ridges of the feather he always kept tucked behind his right ear. "Um-"

Before River could say anything else, Canyon padded up to River's side, his hard gaze piercing through Hawk's fur.

"Are you ready?" he growled.

Hawk felt his claws dig into the soft, maroon-colored carpet that made up the floor of the room. "More than ever," he replied.

Canyon nodded approvingly. "You and I are the strongest wolves here-"

River gave him a gentle cuff. "Hey," she growled playfully, "I'm strong too, you know."

Hawk could not help but feel a pang of jealousy when Canyon licked her ears. "Of course," the brown wolf whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry."

River shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We need all the strength we can get for tonight."

Suddenly, Hawk felt a light tugging on his pelt and he turned his head to see Eagle dabbing at his coat with something he had never seen in his life. The dark ginger he-wolf got up and backed away, growling softly.

Eagle looked at him, the thing in his jaws. "Look at what I found," he said, his voice muffled by the thing.

River took a step closer to the black-and-white wolf. "What is that?" she asked.

"I don't know." Eagle dropped it. It was a hard, wooden object with bristles at the end of it. Several hairs poked out of the bristles where Eagle had tried to experiment with Hawk.

Hawk padded up to it and sniffed it. He drew back. It smelled awful.

"Jay would know what that is," growled Canyon, his deep voice echoing off the walls of the room. Leaf, who was sleeping in the far corner with Ginger, stirred in her sleep. The sunlight that shone from the window bathed them in warm light.

"I hope she hurries with the plan." River reached out with one of her claws and batted the object, retreating when the bristles stung her paw.

Eagle chuckled. "I was going to tell you it stung."

River gave him a glare and licked her paw. Canyon drew closer to her and began to lick her back. She growled appreciatively and continued to groom herself.

Hawk could not watch any more and turned away, stalking into the darkest corner of the room. He sulked, staring at the ground as if it was going to rear up and eat him.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Everyone in the room froze. From the other side of the room, Ginger let out a squeak. Leaf, sensing something was the matter, lifted her head and covered the pup with her bushy, light brown tail.

The door squeaked open and a shape limped into the room.

Hawk could feel his fur start to bristle as the wolf stumbled into the room. He could not see who it was from his angle, but he knew who it was from the expressions on the faces of Canyon and River. It was Jay.

The light gray she-wolf gently closed the door with her snout as River bounded up to her. The she-wolf started to give Jay licks all over her muzzle.

Jay pushed her away, shaking her pelt.

"I'm so glad you're back, Jay," cried River. "We'd thought you'd never come."

Jay let out a small smile. "Well, here I am…and I've got the plan."

Canyon pushed past Eagle and stood next to River. "What is it?"

Hawk got up from his spot and padded over to the group, his tail dragging on the ground. He noticed Jay's pelt was severely ruffled and she looked even frailer than before. Leaf followed him, carrying Ginger in her jaws.

Jay let out a sigh of relief as she saw the tiny pup. "They didn't get her yet. Thank StarPack."

Leaf set the pup down on the ground and gave Jay a welcoming lick. "They won't get her as long as _I_ am here to protect her."

The gray she-wolf nodded.

Canyon was impatient. "Well, Jay," he growled, "what's the plan?"

As Jay spoke, all of the wolves' brows rose in bewilderment. Buckstar's plan sounded viable, but will it work?

"And will his pack be here to aid us too?" asked Canyon after Jay finished. "This sounds too dangerous to do on our own."

"Of course, Canyon," Jay growled, "Buckstar will not let us do it alone."

Canyon nodded his approval.

Hawk cleared his throat and all heads swiveled in his direction. He could not help but wonder…

"Did Buckstar ask about me? At all?" he asked Jay.

The light gray she-wolf shook her head. "No. I'm sorry."

Hawk bowed his head, disheartened. He truly was an outcast now. He knew the feeling _very _well. This was not the first time it happened to him.

"We have to prepare," said River. She turned to her sister and pointed to the pup at her paws with her tail. "We have to hide Ginger."

Leaf nodded. "I know where to hide her. Hopefully she will stay put."

"She will," Jay growled as she pawed at her coat. A few seeds fell onto the carpeted floor. "I managed to gather some poppy seeds on my way here," she explained. "These will help Ginger sleep for a very long time. Only one, for they are very strong."

Leaf looked skeptical, but she figured it was for the best. She gathered up a seed with her paw and fed it to Ginger. The pup let out a squeal of protest.

"Shh, just eat it, darling. It won't hurt you." Leaf's motherly voice must have affected little Ginger, for the pup obediently licked up the seed. Almost instantly, the pup fell limp. Leaf flinched and she glanced up at Jay, worry flashing in her eyes.

"That's normal, Leaf," the she-wolf growled. "Now hurry and hide her. I think Buckstar will come as soon as the sun sets." She glanced at the window as Leaf picked up Ginger by her scruff and hurried away into the secret room. The sun was already making its way down the horizon.

Jay was about to get up and get some rest of her own when Eagle prodded her side. She turned around and saw the curious object in the young wolf's jaws.

"What is this called, Jay?" he asked, his tail wagging.

The light gray wolf gave him a smile. "It's a brush, Eagle."

Eagle dropped the 'brush' and stared at it. "Wow," he whispered.

Jay chuckled softly to herself, curled up on the ground and fell asleep.

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Buckstar limped through the entrance, his muscles numb from the abuse he had made them go through. He looked up at the sky. The sun was already starting to sink into the horizon. Soon it will be night.

_There is no time for rest,_ he growled inwardly. _I just have to rely on my strength to pull me through tonight._

He made his way to the fresh-kill pile, which held a small chaffinch. He grimaced, knowing that a small animal like that would not satisfy his gnawing hunger. He took it anyways.

The camp was eerily quiet. He knew Larksong and the apprentices were in the Pack Den, probably waiting for him. He glanced at the Healer's Den, his heart wrenching with pain. Lilyfrost should not be in there at all. Dawntail will pay for her treachery. Whatever he felt for the she-wolf had disappeared, along with his trust in her. No longer will he call her his mate. Not after what she had done…

Buckstar shook his head. He will not think about that now. He had more important things to focus on. He padded into the Pack Den, almost knocking into a sleeping Redpaw. The apprentice stirred, opening his dark blue eyes. He yawned and lifted his head, looking at Buckstar. For some reason, the apprentice growled at him and got up.

"What's wrong?" the Alpha asked the apprentice, his mouth full of feathers from the chaffinch.

Redpaw did not answer, but just stared at him, a certain coldness written in his blue eyes.

Buckstar decided not to dwell on Redpaw and moved deeper into the den. He found Larksong and prodded him gently on the shoulder with his paw. The Beta woke up instantly at his touch and he looked up at the Alpha.

"Buckstar." Larksong got up from his nest and bowed his head respectfully at him. "We moved Dawntail to the Nursery. I was reluctant, but Sparrowfeather assured me nothing will happen to the pups."

The light brown Alpha let out a growl and dropped the chaffinch on the floor. "What can she do? She's heavily pregnant." Then he remembered the way she tackled him earlier in the day, but decided not to mention it.

"That's what I thought. So, what about Blackfrost?" asked Larksong, his bright blue eyes twinkling tiredly.

"I need you to stand at the entrance of the camp for him. Blackfrost will come to take a last look at his pups. What he doesn't expect is his capture."

Larksong nodded.

"And this time," growled Buckstar warningly, "keep a good grip on him."

The Beta looked down at his paws, ashamed. "Y-yes, Buckstar." Without another word, he walked past Buckstar and disappeared into the clearing.

Buckstar bent down on the floor and began to tear at the meager chaffinch, his jaws salivating with hunger. He was everything but neat, scattering blood on the floor, feathers flying everywhere…he was not usually this messy with his food. Was it his nervousness about tonight's endeavor? Yes, it has to be.

When he was done, Buckstar pushed the bones out of the way and padded out into the clearing. He glanced at the smooth stream in the middle of the camp and he thought about taking a quick bath to clean up his bloody coat.

_I have to look a bit presentable for Shade,_ he thought grimly and padded into the stream, feeling its cool touch enter his dirty coat. He shook his body, scattering water droplets onto the ground. He never knew a bath could feel this relaxing, but suddenly he felt like he had enough energy to run to the moon and back without wasting a single breath.

Gingerly he stepped out of the stream. He then heard a howl from behind him and he turned around, smiling with the notion that he was right. Blackfrost had come back for his pups.

"Argh! Let go of me!"

The black wolf was pinned down by Larksong. Buckstar padded closer to them, his sopping wet coat dripping onto the ground.

Blackfrost's eyes shot up to meet Buckstar's gaze. "You betrayed me!" he cried furiously. "You promised me!"

"I'm just returning the favor, Blackfrost," growled the Alpha.

"What do you want me to do with him, Buckstar?" asked Larksong, his claws digging deep into Blackfrost's chest.

"Let him get up," Buckstar replied, "he won't get away this time. I'll make sure of it."

Buckstar could not help but feel a little satisfaction when he heard Blackfrost's gulp. Larksong let the wolf get up on his own, struggling to balance himself on the ground.

"All I wanted to do was see my pups for a last time," he growled, amber eyes blazing. "Don't be cruel as to not letting me see my children-"

"But are you not cruel enough to try to kill a pack member for your own lustful purposes?" snarled Buckstar, his claws digging into the earth at the recent memory.

Blackfrost bared his teeth defiantly. "I hate you, Buckstar."

"The feeling is mutual." Buckstar lashed his tail and looked up at the sky. Time was running out. He had to hurry or he would not make it in time for his plan to work. He then brought his eyes back to the ground, meeting Larksong's steady ice blue gaze.

"It is time."

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Buckstar looked at his group of wolves. He grimaced at the sight of Blackfrost. He decided he would still fight for RainPack, but Buckstar also had other plans in store for the traitor…

Blackfrost was struggling against the grip of the apprentices on either side of him. He was snarling and spitting curses at them.

"You're not going to make me fight!" he cried angrily.

"Oh really?" Buckstar heard Larksong growl. The Beta was near the rear of the group. "You want to see how fast your blood can spill onto the ground?"

Blackfrost stayed quiet, his angry mumblings echoing in Buckstar's ears. The Alpha knew his pack would not be nearly enough to take on the High Wolves, but he hoped the Unworthy Wolves were ready to fight with tooth and claw.

"When can we go?" growled Stormpaw. "Blackfrost's annoying me."

"Soon," answered Buckstar sullenly. "As soon as Twilightpaw comes back with her herbs."

Stormpaw let out a groan. "What are we bringing her for? She's not going to fight-"

"Her herbs might be useful for healing us during the battle, Stormpaw," Hollypaw growled. She lashed her tail and narrowed her green eyes determinedly.

Buckstar was glad his apprentice was thinking clearly and he hoped she would show him tonight how mighty of a warrior she would be. Stormpaw, however…he would prove to be a problem most mentors fear.

Suddenly, a rustle erupted from the undergrowth and Twilightpaw slipped out, jaws full of green herbs. She dropped them and said breathlessly,

"Everything's secure, Buckstar. Sparrowfeather, Fernleaf and Silentheart are guarding camp. Dawntail, Lilyfrost and the pups are still asleep. I guess we're ready to go." Hurriedly, she picked up the bundle of herbs, her blue eyes glowing in excitement.

Buckstar smiled. This will be the Healer apprentice's first real chance to prove herself to RainPack that she would be a worthy Healer after Fernleaf.

"Good," the Alpha told her, dipping his head curtly. "Then we're off."

Without another moment to spare, he darted into the oncoming night, his pack thundering after him. This will be a night to remember, even for generations to come.


	49. Chapter 48: The Sacrifice

**This is it! The climax!**

_**The Sacrifice!**_

**Enjoy!!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 48- The Sacrifice

Shade was not happy. Buckstar has failed him. He thought the Alpha was smart enough to figure out his pack's security was at stake. As the first-in-command looked out the window to the faint moon, he lashed his tail, his scarred eyes narrowing.

"He's probably on his way," a voice growled from behind the leader.

Shade whipped around, urgency clouding his voice. "No, Tiger. Come with me to the Unworthy Den. We need to get a wolf to Sacrifice-"

Tiger shook his brown head. "I'm sorry sir, but I feel that he's coming-"

"I've given up on feelings," growled Shade. "Time is running out. He's not here. We have to proceed with the Sacrifice even without him."

Tiger's teeth then bore into a crooked smile. "If he doesn't come, then we can-"

"Of course, Tiger," the silver he-wolf said coldly. "We will kill them all. One by one."

XXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

River was anxious. Buckstar and his wolves have not arrived yet and she could sense the tension in the air. Shade was coming to fetch the wolf for the Sacrifice. She glanced at her sister next to her and gave her a comforting lick. She could feel the trembling underneath Leaf's brown coat and she whined in sympathy.

"He's coming," Leaf whispered, burying her muzzle into River's chest fur.

"I know." River then turned her gaze to the newcomer, Hawkflight. He looked like a statue, his head bowed and eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping, but in reality, he was lost deep in his thoughts and memories.

Suddenly, the door screeched open. A shape loomed over the wolves, casting an eerie shadow over them. Leaf let out a yelp of surprise and River puffed her chest, making her look a bit taller.

Canyon, who had been behind them, let out an angry growl. Jay, however, remained silent from her place beside him. Eagle gave a pitiful whine and he covered his head with his paws, as if that would make him invisible.

Shade padded into the den, a look of disgust coming over them. He looked around the wolves, as if he was imagining their death in his mind. His eyes then rested on River and the she-wolf let out an uneasy growl.

"You."

"No!"

Hawk bounded out of the shadows and tackled Shade, his claws digging into the silver fur. The first-in-command let out and angry bark and Tiger ran in the room. The bulky he-wolf pulled Hawk off Shade.

"You can't take her!" he bellowed, his pelt bristling wildly as Shade got up. Tiger held him back from leaping on the leader again.

"Shh, Hawk," Jay whispered to him. "It has to be."

River flashed him a sympathetic look as Shade led her out of the room, as if she told him everything is going to be all right. Tiger snarled at Hawk before leaving, shutting the door after his tail slipped through.

Hawk was shaking, his amber eyes dilated with rage. "They're not going to kill her, are they?"

"If this plan works, no," Canyon growled, padding up to the wolf. "If it doesn't…"

Leaf let out a low moan and her body trembled with grief.

"Somebody has to keep an eye out," Jay said to them. "Buckstar will give us the signal to start heading to the altar."

"Will we be seen?" Canyon asked her.

Jay shook her head. "If we are stealthy, then no."

"River is not going to die," Eagle soothed Leaf as she cried softly. "She is a strong wolf. She won't let those fleabags kill her."

Hawk watched the younger wolf and he closed his amber eyes. His heart still pounded from his brief scuffle with Shade. He felt the power that rippled through the leader's fur and Hawk shuddered to think what dark powers Shade hid under his silver pelt.

"I will watch for Buckstar," he growled. He will do_ anything _to keep his mind off River. He padded up to the window and peered out of the glass.

"That you, Hawk," he heard Jay mutter.

If has only been a few minutes since Shade took River and Hawk let out a soft growl. He spotted a few shapes slink out of the shadows of the forest that surrounded the DarkDen.

"They're here."

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Buckstar raised his muzzle, scenting the air. They have arrived at the DarkDen. He looked up at the topmost window of the structure. He caught an amber eye and as soon as it appeared, it left. The Unworthy Wolves spotted them.

_I hope they won't be seen,_ Buckstar thought grimly. He led his pack towards the entrance of the DarkDen, his pelt bristling with anticipation. He needs all the strength he can gather for his upcoming task. As soon as he crossed the entrance of the den, he felt something hold him back.

It was Stormpaw. The apprentice had an uneasy look on his face.

"What is it, Stormpaw?" Buckstar growled angrily. "This isn't a time for puppy fears."

"Are we late?" he asked.

Buckstar pricked his ears, wondering what his adoptive brother could have meant. "What do you mean-" he started but a howl cut him off.

"They're starting," Larksong growled. "We must hurry."

Buckstar did not let his rising panic control him as he ran towards the stairs. Suddenly, he saw a group of wolves emerge from the shadows around them. The Unworthy Wolves have come to their aid.

"Just in time," Canyon breathed as he padded up to Buckstar. "They took River."

Buckstar felt his claws dig into the carpet under him. "Let's not waste time, then," he growled and bounded up the stairs. He heard the rest of the wolves follow him and he stopped. He turned around and growled,

"I will go by myself."

Larksong stepped forward. "But Buckstar-"

"Let him go," Jay abruptly growled. "Shade will be less suspicious if he goes alone."

Larksong backed off, his black-and-white pelt bristling wildly. Buckstar understood his worry, but Jay was right. This was his solo task.

"Wait for my howl," the Alpha told them. "Then you will ambush. I will go for Shade's throat, but if the Darkness's pull is too strong, someone will have to do it for me."

Canyon's eyes lit up. "I will, Buckstar."

"Me too," growled Larksong.

Buckstar then caught the eye of Hawk, and his fur started to bristle.

"Hawkflight?" asked the Alpha, his hunter green eyes blazing with disbelief.

Hawk whimpered at his hostility and backed away into the others.

"Is he fighting with us?" Buckstar asked Canyon, his voice low with fury.

Canyon nodded, a confused look coming to his eyes. "Why-"

"We can't waste any more time," Buckstar snarled and with a last glare at Hawk, he finished climbing the stairs.

He could hear Shade's voice as he neared the hallway that led to the stone altar. He could smell the fear-scent around the air and he let out a low growl of frustration. _I'm too late,_ he thought.

Shade's voice floated down the hall and into Buckstar's ears.

"This full moon has brought us the power of the Darkness. He has chosen this she-wolf as his prize and soon he shall have her blood spilling the ground. Darkness! Can you hear me? I call upon your mighty prowess to help me deliver-"

Silence fell upon the crowd.

Buckstar appeared, his muscles rippling underneath his light brown coat. His hunter green eyes glinted as he raised his head towards Shade. The wolf was on top of the stone platform, his eyes glowing red. River was at his paws, held down by two other wolves. Her throat exposed as she lay on her back across the stone. Moonlight shone on her gray pelt, making her coat almost silver.

"I have come," the Alpha growled.

Shade smiled evilly, his red eyes glowing with malice. "Come closer," he snarled, backing away as he let Buckstar clamber on top of the stone.

The light brown he-wolf looked down at the expectant crowd. Sudden power surged in his gut and he turned to Shade, feeling the Darkness's grip start to sink into his brain.

"The Senkrad has come!" Shade roared and the crowd erupted in a chorus of hungry howls. "He will bring our Lord to us with his earth-shattering howl."

Buckstar glanced down at River. She was crying, her blue eyes misty with tears. She knew what had to happen. She closed her eyes, ready for her fate. Buckstar dug his claws into the stone. He was not going to let that happen if he could help it.

"Now," Shade growled to him. "Release your power and become one with the Darkness."

He was telling him to howl.

Buckstar raised his head, his mouth opening into a perfect circle. The howl sounded natural, with its pitch ranging from high to low. He held the note as long as he could. At first, nothing happened and Buckstar feared his plan was not going to work.

Then, he felt a burning sensation around him and the Darkness started to creep into his soul, its inky blackness making him dark with rage. He let out a growl and he howled again, this time it was an unnatural, perfect baritone note. Buckstar felt the stone below him start to shake.

"Yes," Shade whispered. "Father has finally come."

Suddenly, the wolves below them erupted in a flurry of barks and snarls, with howls of pain echoing through the room.

"An ambush!" Shade roared, his voice shaking in his fury.

Buckstar shook with ferocity, his mind starting to give way to the Darkness. He felt it control his limbs as he moved towards River, opening his salivating jaws to the exposed throat of the she-wolf…


	50. Chapter 49: The Battle Of Minds

**Sorry for the long wait.**

**/as usual/**

**-Essence**

* * *

Chapter 49- The Battle of Minds

Lilyfrost woke up with a start. She was still in Fernleaf's den. The Healer herself was at the far back of the den, sleeping heavily. Around her were piles of strange and unfamiliar herbs. Fernleaf probably prepared herself for the onslaught of wounded wolves later tonight.

The silver she-wolf looked back at her hindquarters, grimacing at her bandaged leg_. I'm no use now, _she thought grimly. _Until I'm better, I'm going to be stuck here like a prisoner._

She shuffled around the mossy lining of her nest. Fernleaf had put softer material around her while she was sleeping, like bird feathers and more layers of moss. She flicked her ears and looked out of entrance. She could see the full moon through the raging waterfall outside.

Suddenly, a shape padded into her view. Sparrowfeather was outside the den, her gray ears pricked forward in concern. "Lilyfrost?" she asked.

"Yes?" the she-wolf answered with a sigh.

"Good, you're awake," the pup-bringer breathed. "Fernleaf wanted me to check on you while she slept, just to make sure you were all right."

"I'm fine," grumbled Lilyfrost.

Sparrowfeather noticed the edge to her voice and said softly, "Is something bothering you?"

"Besides my leg, you mean?" Lilyfrost growled darkly.

"And anything that goes with it." Sparrowfeather clearly was hinting at something else.

Lilyfrost looked past Sparrowfeather's black paws to the Nursery, where she knew Dawntail was kept prisoner by the pup-bringers. "I'm angry," she growled.

Sparrowfeather blinked her yellow eyes. "That's understandable-"

"No, you don't understand," Lilyfrost cut her off sharply. "I'm angry with _myself_. I can't bring myself to tell him that I love him more than life itself."

Sparrowfeather closed her eyes, clearly in thought. "Lilyfrost, don't."

The she-wolf's lilac-colored eyes blazed. "What?"

"Buckstar is still sore on Dawntail's betrayal. Give him time before-"

"But you still don't understand," Lilyfrost snarled. "It's clear he loves me too. I don't know why hasn't come up to me yet and said it to me."

"Do you think he would say anything to you while he has Dawntail breathing down his neck?" Sparrowfeather shook her head. "Lilyfrost, don't stress yourself with this. You are already fragile as it is-"

"Sagetail has done more to me than you know," Lilyfrost growled. "I allowed myself to trust him, and I ended up even more hurt than before. Thank StarPack Buckstar was there to-"

"Does Buckstar always have to take care of things for you?" Sparrowfeather asked her challengingly. "When is it time to take care of _yourself_?"

Lilyfrost stared hard at the older she-wolf, but she could not budge those penetrating yellow eyes. She turned away, defeated. "I would be dead if it weren't for him," she murmured.

"I know," Sparrowfeather said, lashing her tail. "Lilyfrost, this isn't any of my business. I should be getting back to my pups now-"

"No!" Lilyfrost cried. "Stay with me."

Sparrowfeather shook her head. "I have to leave you to sort through this alone. It is for the best." Without another word, she left her alone, the constant crashing of the waterfall the only sound in her ears.

Lilyfrost bowed her head onto her paws in a sphinx-like position. _Why is it so hard?_ she thought angrily_. He's my friend and I've known him for nearly all my life. Why can't I just walk up to him and tell him that I love him?_

She then lifted her head again with a sudden thought. "I know why," she said aloud. Shifting closer to the entrance using her good legs, she peered at Nursery, where Dawntail's head was poking out. The she-wolf was padding out of the den, closely followed by Sparrowfeather. They were heading towards the fresh-kill pile.

Lilyfrost hurriedly withdrew her head back into the den, her heart thudding in her chest. _I'm scared, _she thought. _I can't tell him because I'm scared of Dawntail and what she'll do to me when she finds out._

She looked at her bandaged leg again. _How much worse can I get? _She thought bitterly. _She already tried to kill me once_. She let out a gulp. _She can do it again._

The she-wolf started to groom her chest fur in her anxiety. _Buckstar will never let that happen_, she thought with a flicker of hope.

She then frowned, stopping her licking. "There I go," she grumbled aloud. "I'm relying on Buckstar for my safety again._ I'm _not going to let that witch try to kill me."

As if to prove her words to herself, she dug her claws into the soft moss. _I shouldn't have let Sagetail take advantage of me the way he did,_ she thought_. I have never felt any kind of affection for him. _

Suddenly, she let out a chuckle at her own dark humor. _He looked so much like Buckstar, I must have confused the two of them._

"Dawntail will never make it out alive when I get stronger," Lilyfrost growled to herself after a few seconds. "If Buckstar doesn't kill her, _I will_."

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Buckstar froze for a second, not sure about what he was about to do. He thirsted for blood and as he stared at River with his jaws open, he let his rational side try to overpower the Darkness. _I need blood…_ he heard the Darkness in his mind.

His efforts were of no use. With an impulse of power, he lunged for River's throat. He could feel her fur brush the roof of his mouth before he felt a weight crash into his side, making him thrash his head. He unintentionally sliced River's throat open with one of his razor-sharp incisors and he could hear her gurgle with pain as he crashed onto the floor.

"No!" he heard a voice cry above him. Using his unnatural strength, Buckstar pushed away the wolf off him. In his heightened state of mind, all he saw was red. River's blood pooled at his side and he raised a claw to slash at the wolf that attacked him. He heard a small whine from the he-wolf and Buckstar spotted dark ginger fur between his claws.

It was Hawk's fur. The he-wolf had thrown himself on River. The she-wolf was gasping, her breaths echoing in Buckstar's hypersensitive ears. With a bellow of fury, he looked around, the battle around him deafening his sense of hearing.

Shade had thrown himself in the battle, the silver-furred wolf weaving in and out of the slashing claws and biting jaws.

_More blood…_the Darkness hissed. _I need power…_

Buckstar thrashed his head, trying to shade the entity away. It was impossible. He felt his legs go numb as the Darkness entered his body like never before. It was if he was shedding his skin and putting on a newer, more powerful body.

Buckstar was barely Buckstar as he threw himself into the battle. Claws tore at his pelt as he lunged himself into the battle, his energy fueled by all the blood in the air. His will left him rapidly as the Darkness barreled into the nearest wolf he saw. It was the RainPack Beta, Larksong.

The he-wolf's usually black-and-white face was red with blood and his blue eyes blazed with the light of battle.

"Buckstar?" he started but his head snapped back as Buckstar gave him a claw swipe to his muzzle. He heard bones break as Larksong fell, blood welling up around him.

Buckstar's red eyes burned wildly with fire as he opened his jaws to finish Larksong's life there and then, but another wolf barreled into him, causing him to stagger back into the mass of fighting wolves.

"What are you doing?" screamed the wolf who had tackled him. She was silenced too, her brown pelt quickly soaking with blood as she lay next to Larksong. She did not move.

Buckstar's chest was beginning to heave as the scent of blood filled his nostrils. _Yes_, the Darkness growled, almost purring. _This is what I need…_

Suddenly, he felt teeth close around his wounded shoulder and he felt the tug at his shoulder as he was being pulled down to the floor, a heavy weight pinning him down.

"Kill him now!" he heard a voice wail from behind him. "He's uncontrollable!"

Buckstar struggled under the large wolf. A few more seconds would have allowed him to push away the wolf with effortless ease, but then he felt something smash into his mouth.

"Make him swallow! Ugh-"

The female voice ended as a screech as Buckstar allowed his last ounce of will to swallow whatever it was. It tasted foul immediately and he started to thrash around, his already crazed mind whirling with confusion. He felt his limbs go limp and he closed his eyes, his world suddenly going black.

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Buckstar suddenly woke up, his hunter green eyes returning to normal. He shakily stood up and looked around. He was not at the DarkDen anymore and his fur started to bristle. _What's happening?_ he thought, looking around the clearing. Forest surrounded him from either side and he started to back away, flattening his ears against his head.

Suddenly, a whirl of darkness appeared in front of him. Eyes appeared in the chaotic mass, red and cold.

Buckstar dug his claws into the earth, knowing what he was seeing. It was the Darkness. He remembered the nightmare he had as clearly as day. However, what was Darkness doing in here?

He then felt a pelt brush his side and Rainstripe appeared next to him, her blue eyes blazing with determination. Shadowstar, his black pelt bristling, appeared at his other side, his mouth formed to a snarl.

Griffinstar was the last to appear, his hunter green eyes narrowed and his black brown pelt glossy and unruffled, as if he groomed himself for this.

"This will end here, Darkness," Shadowstar growled.

The whirling mass of darkness quickly formed into the Darkness's horrific form. With its human-like appendages, it seemed as if the wolf-like entity _was_ truly combined with a human.

"Buckstar, you have lost a life," Rainstripe started to explain. "The Darkness has gained control of your body. Killing you would have been the only option."

The Alpha was numb with disbelief.

"We have come to help you in this battle, but in the end, it will have to be up to you," growled Rainstripe, lashing her gray tail.

The Darkness reared up on its two unnatural limbs. Its gaping hole for a mouth made sucking sounds and Buckstar cringed with nausea at the sight.

As if with an unseen signal, the StarPack wolves around him started to charge forward. Buckstar followed them, lightly brushing the pelt of his dead father.

"Good luck, son," he growled before throwing himself into the mass of darkness. Rainstripe followed him, disappearing into the Darkness's torso. Shadowstar was last, his black pelt melting perfectly with the darkness.

The Darkness let out a ground-shaking roar, making Buckstar's pelt stand on end.

_Where did they go? _he thought frantically. The StarPack wolves did not come out of the chaos that was the Darkness.

"This is how it ends, huh?" the Darkness hissed, his tail lashing. He gulped the air around him. Buckstar felt the pull of the Darkness's vacuum-like mouth and he started to claw at the ground in order to keep himself from flying towards the Darkness.

"Those pitiful StarPack wolves don't know what they're talking about. They may have weakened me, but nothing can stop me from killing you!"

Buckstar jumped when the Darkness addressed him with its hoarse, high-pitched voice.

"Never," the Alpha snarled.

"You truly are the last Alpha, aren't you?" the Darkness wheezed, stepping closer to the wolf. Suddenly, he clutched his chest with a clawed hand, hissing in annoyance. "They…they are making me weaker…this can't be…"

Buckstar lunged at his opponent, but he was surprised when he passed harmlessly through the whirling black mass. He landed on the ground with a thud, his momentum causing him to stumble awkwardly.

"You can't touch me," hissed the Darkness. "This is not a battle with tooth and claw, wolf. This is a battle of minds."

Suddenly, Buckstar felt something rake through his brain, crying out in pain.

"Ah, look at all those happy memories to destroy," the Darkness growled thoughtfully, using his purring voice again. He suddenly stopped and withdrew with a hiss. "And so many dreadful ones to leave untouched."

"S-stop," Buckstar coughed, white spots beginning to appear in his vision. "D-don't m-make me forget-"

The Darkness lunged at him again, his claws outstretched, but another spasm wracked through his body, thanks to the StarPack wolves.

Buckstar closed his eyes, clearing his mind. He could feel the Darkness's grip getting weaker and his will beginning to return.

"Your love abandoned you," the Darkness suddenly hissed, using his claws and awkward hind paws to crawl towards the Alpha. "She betrayed you, used you for your body. Your brother and clanmate also betrayed you-"

Buckstar tried to get away from the Darkness, but it felt as if his paws were glued to the ground. His body shuddered when it mentioned the wolves he absolutely hated.

"I hate them," Buckstar snarled. "_I hate them_."

"Good," the Darkness sneered. "More hate-"

"I love my pups!" The Alpha suddenly realized his mistake and retaliated quickly. "I _love_ them! I love life, I love Hollypaw, Sparrowfeather, Larksong-"

He could hear the Darkness's hisses in the background as he mentioned his pack member's names.

"-Stormpaw, Redpaw, Silentheart, Twilightpaw-"

"No…" the Darkness snarled, his body and voice beginning to fade away. "This is not possible-"

"-Fernleaf, and…"

The Darkness let out an earsplitting screech that made Buckstar cringe and flatten his ears. The ground began to shake and it split open in two.

Terrified, Buckstar scrabbled backwards, his eyes wide with horror. The Darkness's fading body floated into the gaping hole, his piercing screams echoing in Buckstar's ears. As soon as it appeared, the hole closed itself, taking the Darkness with it.

"…and Lilyfrost," breathed Buckstar as the earth's rumbling started to cease. "I love Lilyfrost."

_Well done,_ a voice crept into his mind. It was Rainstripe._ You did it. The Darkness isn't gone yet, but you have put him to rest with your love for others. Your time here is done. Goodbye, Buckstar._

Suddenly, though he should be used to it already, his world went black.


	51. Chapter 50: The End of the Beginning

**-angels singing-**

**Hallelujah!**

**Hallelujah!**

**Hallelujah!**

**The last chapter!**

**-tries not to cry-**

**-cries anyway-**

* * *

Chapter 50- The End of the Beginning

Buckstar opened his eyes. He was back at the DarkDen. The scent of blood hit his nose and a wave of nausea rolled over him. He got up shakily, resisting the urge to retch. He looked around. He spotted a group of wolves near the corner of the room and he flexed his claws, ready to fight if he had to.

One of the wolves turned its head towards him. It was Hawk. He narrowed his eyes and turned his back towards him, his body shaking. He had lost his characteristic feather during the fight.

Buckstar blinked and turned his green gaze towards the stone platform. River's lifeless body lay on the hard rock, her blood staining its gray surface. Leaf was next to her, her blow fur bloody and ruffled with grief. Her green eyes blazed with tears as she spotted him staring at her.

He then turned his head and finally retched on the already disgusting floor. He knew he killed River while in his maddened state. _It's all my fault,_ he thought in despair. _I killed her._

Another wolf took notice of him and called out to him.

"Buckstar."

It was Stormpaw. The smaller wolf limped to his bigger brother and buried his head in his chest fur. "I thought you died," he sniffed.

Buckstar licked his brother's bloody coat. He did not say anything.

"We won, Buckstar," the apprentice growled. "We drove them out."

Buckstar closed his eyes with his relief. He knew this was not over, though. He may have beaten the Darkness, but he knew it was not gone forever.

"What happened to Shade?" he asked, his voice coming out raspy. It felt like he had not used it in ages.

"He ran away, that coward," Stormpaw snarled.

Buckstar shook his head. "This battle wasn't really won," he said bitterly. "We have to finish this sooner or later."

Stormpaw's amber eyes flashed but Buckstar put his snout on the apprentice's forehead in comfort.

"But not now," the Alpha growled. "We have lost so much blood today. We cannot fight again."

"Come," Stormpaw whispered.

"What is it?"

"It's Larksong." Stormpaw closed his eyes and Buckstar feared the worst. He followed the apprentice to the small group of wolves, his tail dragging on the ground.

Twilightpaw was hovering over the Beta, her light brown coat bloody. She looked up at Buckstar, her blue eyes glistening with tears.

"I tried, Buckstar, but-"

Buckstar buried his muzzle into the black-and-white he-wolf's fur. It felt stone cold under his touch. He closed his eyes, a growl rumbling in his throat. His claws also killed the Beta. He remembered the Darkness's cruel swipe to Larksong's head, fatally cracking his spine.

Grief overwhelmed him like a surging river and he let out a low howl. Stormpaw mimicked his action beside him. As Buckstar lowered his head again, he caught Hawk's amber eyes. The wolf was still glaring at him and the Alpha shuddered uncomfortably.

Buckstar pried his eyes away from Hawk and he asked Twilightpaw, "How's Hollypaw?"

The Healer apprentice closed her eyes. "She is in the other side of the room. She's taking it badly. Redpaw and Jay are with her."

Buckstar looked back and surely enough, three shapes huddled close together in the corner, their backs to him.

"I should go see her," Buckstar growled. He started to get up but Twilightpaw put a paw on his uninjured shoulder. The other one ached with an even bigger wound than before.

"No," she told him gently. "Let her be. Larksong was very dear to her. Look, here comes Redpaw and Jay now."

The two wolves padded up to Buckstar, their heads low.

"She's not doing any better," Jay grumbled. "The poppy seed isn't working."

"Grief takes time, not medicine to heal," Twilightpaw muttered. "She'll come to soon enough."

Redpaw let out a sigh and sat down on the ground, his russet-red coat now redder with blood. The end of his right ear was nicked off and a small trickle of blood oozed from it. Stormpaw seated himself next to the apprentice and lowered his head in grief.

Buckstar shook his head. _This should not have happened, _he thought angrily. _Larksong didn't have to die. Why did I get them into this mess? It's all my fault!_

He started to tear at the ground under him, his grief starting to overwhelm him. He then felt Jay's comforting touch on his back and the she-wolf brushed his uninjured shoulder with her muzzle.

"It's all right, Buckstar," she said soothingly.

"No it's not!" he snarled. "Look at what I have done!"

Jay's blue eyes hardened as she turned around to face him. "This is not your fault," she growled, the kindness in her voice vanishing. "Don't you _dare_ think it's your fault. These wolves _had _to be driven out, for everyone's sake-"

"But look at what happened!" Buckstar growled at her. "Larksong and River are_ dead_ because of me!" He shot a look at Hollypaw in the far corner. Her back was still to him and she was shaking with her sobs, then at Leaf, who had her muzzle buried in her sister's fur.

Jay's eyes closed solemnly. "This is not your fault," she repeated.

Buckstar sighed. "What do you suppose I do now? My Beta is dead."

"Choose a new one," Jay murmured.

Suddenly, Stormpaw's head shot up, his amber eyes blazing with anger. "How can you be so heartless?" he growled. "You didn't even know Larksong!"

Jay's eyes opened in a flash. She turned her head to the apprentice, her lips curled back in a snarl. "They have plenty of time to grieve! It's important now that You choose a new Beta before moonhigh-"

Stormpaw cringed at the sharpness in her voice. He opened his mouth to reply.

"_They_?" Buckstar asked shakily before Stormpaw could say anything in retaliation. "What do you mean by '_they'?"_

The gray she-wolf let out a small sigh. "The other wolves have no home now. Canyon and I talked while you were…out. They want to join your pack."

Buckstar blinked in surprise. He was not expecting this to happen. What he expected was that the Unworthy Wolves would go off and start a pack of their own after this was over.

"I know it's a large favor to ask of you as an Alpha," Jay said, "but they have been part of a pack before. We already know what to expect."

"Where's Canyon?" the Alpha asked, his grief-stricken voice still shaking.

"Outside with some others. They're guarding the entrance just in case Shade decides to come back to finish this off."

Buckstar nodded and got up stiffly from Larksong's cold side. "You're right, Jay,"

"What do you mean?" Stormpaw asked, his small voice suddenly defiant. "She doesn't know-"

"Quiet, Stormpaw!" Buckstar growled at his adoptive brother. "Why don't you go back to Hollypaw? She looks horrible."

Stormpaw's amber eyes blazed for a moment. "Yes, Buckstar," he said dully and padded off to the huddled black shape of Hollypaw.

Buckstar turned back to Jay, his hunter green eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry, Jay. He's like that sometimes-"

Jay smiled. "Don't worry. He reminds me of someone very dear to my heart. He's just like her in every way."

The Alpha gave her a small smile despite the rock he felt in his heart. "Like I was saying before, you are right in saying that a new Beta needs to be appointed before moonhigh. That is the Wolf Code."

Jay bowed her head just a fraction. "Of course."

Buckstar then swept his gaze across Larksong's body. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. He needed more wolves in the pack. He then noticed Jay's use of the word 'they' in her previous statements. She won't stay in RainPack with the others?

"_You_ can join the pack if you want to, Jay. I will understand if you feel otherwise." His voice sounded defeated.

Jay blinked. She clearly was not expecting this question directly aimed at _her_. She then closed her eyes, as if in deep thought. "I will think about your offer, Buckstar. The others, I can assure you, are staying with RainPack."

The Alpha's ears flicked forward and nodded.

"Meanwhile, I will accept your hospitality and in turn I will offer any help I can give you."

"You are already more help than you know," Buckstar said to her, nuzzling her shoulder affectionately. "No matter what happens, you will always be welcome in RainPack."

Jay smiled, a little embarrassed. She then looked at Larksong's cold body, frowning again. "Are you going to bury him?"

Buckstar had a cold shiver in his heart when he remembered the time Larksong was about to bury _him_ because all of the wolves thought the Alpha was dead. Sadly, now it's the other way around…and this time there's no way Larksong can come back.

Buckstar looked up at the moonlight shining down from the hole in the roof, his hunter green eyes full of sorrow. He thought he saw a flash of eyes look down on him, but when he blinked, they were gone.

_Travel safely to the stars,_ _Larksong, _he thought_. _The then looked at the rock where Leaf sat still with her sister, her nose pushed up against the cold fur.

Closing his eyes in grief, he continued his prayer: _Take River with you. She might have not known what it was like to live a pack life, but she was a true wolf at heart. _

Buckstar then looked at the bodies of dead BloodPack wolves around him and then caught a glance of Blackfrost's mangled body dragged off in a corner. He tried not to growl at the sight.

_-and lead these misguided souls to the light. They had never gotten a chance to see it when they were alive._

_Run where others will greet you all with open paws that have lived the legacy before you._

_Run free, my friends._

_Run free._

THE END.

* * *

**-keeps crying-**

**That's the end of -sniffle- the first book!**

**Epilogue is going to come up soon!**

**Once I write it...:P**

**Thanks, guys, for sticking with me for so long. Hopefully, I will start the second book, Living the Legacy soon, but I'm starting to concentrate more on Wicked now than anything else. Keep your fingers crossed!**

**Until next time!**

**-Essence (now known as WickedEssence)**


	52. Epilogue: It's Coming

**The final stretch here~ **

**Here's the epilogue!**

**It was kind of rushed, but w/e.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Essence**

* * *

Epilogue- It's Coming

The chilling wind swept through the snow-laden RainPack camp. It was a bitingly cold winter for the wolves, but their coats grew heavy with the season, enabling them to tough it out like true pack wolves.

A wolf padded through the camp's clearing, his thick brown coat flecked white with snow. His muzzle was low to the ground, sniffing for the prey that was sure to be buried underneath the snow. Another smaller wolf padded up to him, her black coat contrasting against the whiteness of the snow.

"We should have moved the prey into one of the dens," the brown wolf growled, using one of his big paws to scratch the powdery surface of the snow.

The black she-wolf nodded. "Now it's buried underneath the snow. If you want, Buckstar, I could get some wolves and we could hunt-"

"No, Hollythorn. It is too early for a hunt. If there were any prey, they would be sleeping until the sun has fully risen. Is the dawn patrol still out?" the Alpha wolf asked her.

Hollythorn nodded, her green eyes blinking tiredly. "Canyonheart, Eaglefeather, Redpaw and Stormpaw are in it. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Buckstar blinked at the mention of RainPack's new Beta. At first, he was not sure if it was a good idea, but for some reason he knew the dark brown he-wolf would replace Larksong fitfully.

With a pang of sadness, he saw the former Beta face in his black daughter's face. They both had the same broad muzzle and curious eyes.

Buckstar gave Hollythorn an affectionate lick. "Thanks, Hollythorn. You were the best apprentice I could have ever asked for and I'm sure your father is proud of you."

Hollythorn flattened her ears, embarrassed. She then hurried towards the Pack Den, where Buckstar could hear the rustling of awakening wolves.

The Alpha then padded towards the Nursery, where he could hear the faint whining of pups. He then spotted the gray coat of Fernleaf as she slipped out of the den. The Healer's ears flicked forward when she spotted the Alpha.

"Buckstar," she greeted, bowing her head low. "Silentheart's pups just opened their eyes. I was just checking them to see if they were alright."

Buckstar smiled as she padded past him to her den behind the frozen waterfall. The camp seemed eerily silent without its constant crashing sound filling the air. The Alpha pushed his massive shoulders through the protective lichen and stepped his head into the Nursery.

Two little pups immediately began to swerve around his paws playfully. He chuckled as a golden she-wolf padded up to them and started to shoo them away with her paw.

"It's okay, Silentheart," Buckstar reassured her. "They are enjoying their newfound sight."

The golden she-wolf looked up to meet his strong hunter green gaze, her clear blue eyes full of sadness. Buckstar's heart sank to the ground for he knew Silentheart was the mate of Blackfrost, a traitor to RainPack. He ran away short after the battle with BloodPack and the Darkness.

Buckstar shuddered at the all-too-recent memory.

A gray she-wolf made her way to Buckstar's side, her black paws carefully dodging the rambunctious pups as they tumbled back and forth. She looked up at the Alpha, her yellow eyes filled with the same sadness as Silentheart's was a few moments before.

"Sparrowfeather," Buckstar murmured.

The pup-bringer bowed her head. She too lost her mate in the bloody battle. Her mate and the RainPack Beta, Larksong. Buckstar could not help but feel a stab of guilt. Unconsciously he killed him when the Darkness took over his body and he could not find a way to forgive himself for what he had done.

Buckstar then looked past Sparrowfeather's shoulder to see a huddled shape in the back of the den and his hunter green eyes narrowed with a sudden anger.

"How is she?" he asked her, his voice steely.

"She's having a bit of pains today," Sparrowfeather answered quietly. "Any day now she will have them."

Buckstar nodded. "Thank you, Sparrowfeather."

The she-wolf sighed. "It seems so different now that the pups are apprentices and…and that he's gone…" her voice lowered to a mere whisper.

Buckstar pushed his snout against her shoulder in comfort. "Shh, Sparrowfeather. He's with StarPack now and watching over us every day."

Sparrowfeather took a shaky breath and nodded. "I have to think positive…think positive…" Without another word, she left him to pad towards the back of the den.

For a few minutes, Buckstar stared at Silentheart as she nuzzled her pups and with a stab of pain he thought what his pups will be like.

_They won't have a mother like Silentheart…or Sparrowfeather…he_ thought sadly. _They have to have a monster like Dawntail. _He looked again at the huddled shape at the back of the den. _If only I had known she would turn out to be this way, I wouldn't have foolishly given my heart to her like I did. _

He shook his head and stepped out of the Nursery, wanting to think about something other than his former mate. He shook his coat and stretched his sore muscles, feeling the snow crunch underneath his paws as he extended his limbs, shaking the stiffness out of them.

He then spotted the gleam of a pair of eyes out of the den behind the frozen waterfall. A pair of _lilac-colored_ eyes.

He smiled as he quickly bounded towards the Healer's Den, his tail wagging in the air. His worries were quickly forgotten as he entered the den.

"Buckstar!" a silver she-wolf greeted him, her face breaking into a huge grin. She was sitting on a mossy nest, her hind leg bandaged and extended. "I thought you were never going to come!"

Buckstar affectionately nuzzled her, licking her between her ears. "You know that's impossible, Lilyfrost. I love you too much."

"I love you too!" Lilyfrost giggled and licked him back.

Then they heard a clearing throat sound and a small light brown she-wolf appeared from the depths of the den.

"I will leave now before this gets any mushier," she growled, brushing past Buckstar.

"Oh, Twilightpaw!" Lilyfrost teased the Healer apprentice.

Twilightpaw quickly looked over her shoulder, her midnight blue eyes shining before leaving the den.

Lilyfrost chuckled and buried her muzzle in Buckstar's broad chest.

"How's that leg today?" Buckstar asked her, starting to give the top of her head a thorough washing.

Lilyfrost smiled, appreciating his gesture. She shifted her bandaged leg, giving a little wince. "Not much better from yesterday, but better nonetheless."

The Alpha stopped licking and looked at her. "Will you be able to walk soon?"

"Fernleaf says if I start to exercise it a bit, I might be able to before the snow melts." Lilyfrost's eyes glittered with happiness. "Isn't that great news?"

Buckstar nodded and nuzzled her. "That is_ wonderful_ news. Soon you will be able to run free again."

The silver she-wolf kneaded her paws in excitement. "I can't wait!"

Her eyes then shadowed.

Buckstar noticed her sudden change in mood and he asked, "What's wrong, Lilyfrost?"

Lilyfrost looked up at him meeting his green gaze. "What about Dawntail?"

"She will be…gone by then."

Lilyfrost blinked in surprise. "Are you going to-"

Buckstar closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I'm still not sure what to do with her. Ever since she did this to you, I wanted to kill her with my own paws."

The she-wolf's brows rose.

"But then that seemed…too cold blooded for me."

"You killed Sagetail," said Lilyfrost. "What's stopping you from-"

Buckstar shook his head. "For some reason, I think she is different. I don't know…"

Lilyfrost frowned. "You still don't have feeling for her, do you?"

Buckstar shook his head again, this time more vigorously. "Of course not!"

"Then why the hesitation?" the silver wolf asked him. "If I could stand up, she would be already dead."

"I think my pups deserve better than to grow up without a mother."

Lilyfrost stared at him, her tail flicking back and forth.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You really _are _blind, aren't you?" Lilyfrost giggled.

Buckstar tipped his head in confusion. "I still don't understand you, Lilyfrost. What do you mean?"

Lilyfrost rolled her eyes. "_I_ could be their surrogate mother, Buckstar."

The Alpha blinked in surprise. "Lilyfrost, I couldn't do that to you."

"Oh, c'mon. I _want_ to." Lilyfrost licked his muzzle.

Buckstar closed his eyes. "But they're not yours…"

Lilyfrost shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All I care about is that they are _yours_. That's what counts."

The brown he-wolf gave her a small smile. "I suppose you're right."

Lilyfrost gave him a grin. "This is great! I can't wait until they are bo-"

Suddenly a howl erupted from inside the Nursery. Buckstar's ears flicked forward, already exactly who it was.

"Dawntail!" he growled, getting up on his four paws.

"Is it her time already?" Lilyfrost asked, panic in her voice.

"Sparrowfeather told me she was having pains, but she still needed a few more days-" Buckstar hurriedly explained. He did not give Lilyfrost a chance to reply before dashing out of the den.

He ran towards the Nursery, where he could hear Dawntail's panting. Silentheart was ushering her pups outside into the snow, their little eyes squinting from the harsh white snow.

"Slowly push now," he heard Fernleaf's voice from inside the den. "Push, Dawntail,"

"I can't!" came her pained response.

Buckstar could not stand to wait outside and he poked his head through the lichen. Fernleaf was covering his view of Dawntail. All he could see was her russet red tail lashing back and forth. Sparrowfeather was sitting by them, her yellow eyes indifferent to the ordeal.

"What's happening?" Buckstar dared to ask the she-wolf.

"Dawntail's giving birth a bit earlier than expected," Sparrowfeather growled.

"Are the pups going to be okay?" he asked her worriedly.

Sparrowfeather did not look too sure. "It…depends."

Buckstar was crazed by her vague answer. "I have to go see them-"

Sparrowfeather shook her head. "No, you have to stay here."

Dawntail's howl drowned out Buckstar's next words. She sounded like she was in pure agony. Twilightpaw's head emerged from the lichen. Buckstar barely noticed she was beside him.

"Cobwebs, Fernleaf?" the apprentice asked.

"Not yet," the Healer replied, not even turning to look back at Twilightpaw. "It's still dry. C'mon, Dawntail. Push!"

Buckstar kneaded his paws against the mossy ground impatiently as Twilightpaw brushed past him to sit at Fernleaf's side.

"That's it!"

Dawntail let out a moan and her tail stopped its thrashing as she pushed. Her panting was all Buckstar heard for a few heart-pounding moments.

"The first one's here! Here, Twilightpaw, lick her!"

A female! Buckstar watched as Fernleaf passed the small puppy to Twilightpaw for the apprentice to lick away the afterbirths. The pup's coat was a pure white as Twilightpaw's expert tongue washed the afterbirths away.

_White?_ Buckstar wondered. _How did she get a coat that white?_

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Dawntail's sudden scream. There was another pup on the way. Buckstar could not stop himself as he padded past Sparrowfeather, despite her protests.

He looked upon the now bloody nest. Twilightpaw was still licking the puppy until she gave a harsh cry. Buckstar's heart burst with pride to see the little pink mouth open wide as the puppy cried out. Twilightpaw gently picked up the puppy and placed it at the crook of Dawntail's white belly, where she latched onto quickly for milk.

"One more, Dawntail," Fernleaf told her as Twilightpaw hurriedly left to fetch cobwebs. "You can do it."

Dawntail looked defeated, her eyes closed and tongue lolled out in exhaustion. "I…I can't…"

"You have to!" Fernleaf barked at her. "Now push!"

Buckstar was unnerved at Fernleaf's ferocity as Dawntail gave one last effort and pushed with all her might. She gave a piercing cry and went still as the puppy tumbled out from underneath her tail.

Buckstar's eyes opened in horror.

"_No!_"


End file.
